![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 11 of 11. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Tomatheus on July 21, 2013, at 17:00:02
Article: Big pharma mobilising patients in battle over drugs trials data
Leaked memo from industry bodies reveals strategy to combat calls by regulators to force companies to publish results
By Ian Sample
The GuardianThe pharmaceutical industry has "mobilised" an army of patient groups to lobby against plans to force companies to publish secret documents on drugs trials.
Drugs companies publish only a fraction of their results and keep much of the information to themselves, but regulators want to ban the practice. If companies published all of their clinical trials data, independent scientists could reanalyse their results and check companies' claims about the safety and efficacy of drugs.
Under proposals being thrashed out in Europe, drugs companies would be compelled to release all of their data, including results that show drugs do not work or cause dangerous side-effects.
While some companies have agreed to share data more freely, the industry has broadly resisted the moves. The latest strategy shows how patient groups -- many of which receive some or all of their funding from drugs companies -- have been brought into the battle.
The strategy was drawn up by two large trade groups, the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) and the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA), and outlined in a memo to senior industry figures this month, according to an email seen by the Guardian.
Read full article:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2013/jul/21/big-pharma-secret-drugs-trials?CMP=twt_fd
Posted by Phillipa on July 21, 2013, at 18:18:52
In reply to Article: Big pharma fights publication efforts, posted by Tomatheus on July 21, 2013, at 17:00:02
I saw this someone posted on facebook? Thanks for the article. Phillipa ps it could have even been in my RN newsletter.
Posted by Tomatheus on July 21, 2013, at 18:38:52
In reply to Re: Article: Big pharma fights publication efforts » Tomatheus, posted by Phillipa on July 21, 2013, at 18:18:52
> Thanks for the article. Phillipa
You're welcome. I came across the article on schizophrenia.com and thought that those who post here would be interested in reading it, so I posted it here and on one other forum I'm a part of. I found the fact that pharmaceutical companies have been discussing plans to use patient groups to spread their ideas as to why publishing data from all drug trials is a bad idea to be unsettling, but not surprising. Hopefully the companies will abandon their plans to use patient groups for lobbying purposes on this issue, now that information about this leaked memo has been brought to light.
T.
Posted by poser938 on July 21, 2013, at 21:10:33
In reply to Article: Big pharma fights publication efforts, posted by Tomatheus on July 21, 2013, at 17:00:02
Sure, big pharmacy are going to play the victims in all of this. I can't wait for the world to see all the information on these drugs.
Is there a really a good argument for them to keep this information hidden?
Posted by Phillipa on July 21, 2013, at 21:23:29
In reply to Re: Article: Big pharma fights publication efforts, posted by poser938 on July 21, 2013, at 21:10:33
May be somewhat off topic but anyone have a link to FDA watchlist of meds?
Posted by Tomatheus on July 21, 2013, at 22:54:28
In reply to Re: Article: Big pharma fights publication efforts, posted by poser938 on July 21, 2013, at 21:10:33
> Is there a really a good argument for them to keep this information hidden?
There are some arguments for keeping the information hidden, but I think it's questionable (to say the least) how good the arguments are.
Here's a quote from the article:
"Some who oppose full disclosure of data fear that publishing the information could reveal trade secrets, put patient privacy at risk, and be distorted by scientists' own conflicts of interest. While many of the concerns are valid, critics say they can be addressed, and that openness is far more important for patient safety."
So, as stated above, there are certain concerns about publishing all drug study data, but it is said that the valid concerns can be addressed, which would probably make them a non issue. The concerns that making unpublished study data available would put patient privacy at risk are concerns that I think should be taken seriously, but I don't see why any identifying information about patients can't be removed from the studies that are currently hidden. As far as the other concerns go, I don't see how the harm that they might create would outweigh the harm caused by keeping information about drugs hidden. But I suppose I could be missing something.
I tend to think that if the pharmaceutical industry had arguments for keeping the information about the drugs hidden that were truly convincing, then they would have just gone ahead and made the arguments themselves without enlisting patient groups to sort of speak on their behalf. I think that those in the industry who were behind this plan to mobilize patient groups to lobby against the publication of all drug study data were basically trying to create an illusion that someone outside the pharmaceutical industry was concerned about the so-called harm that publishing the data could cause. In reality, if the arguments for keeping the information hidden were so good, then both those in the pharmaceutical industry and those associated with patient groups would have already been making them, and the industry wouldn't have seen the need to potentially persuade patient group into speaking for them.
T.
Posted by poser938 on July 21, 2013, at 23:00:24
In reply to Re: Article: Big pharma fights publication efforts » poser938, posted by Tomatheus on July 21, 2013, at 22:54:28
I suppose we will just have to wait and see what happens.
Sometimes a drug companies money can be the only "voice" that's worth listening to for those calling the shots.
Posted by Tomatheus on July 21, 2013, at 23:20:45
In reply to Re: Article: Big pharma fights publication efforts, posted by Phillipa on July 21, 2013, at 21:23:29
> May be somewhat off topic but anyone have a link to FDA watchlist of meds?
Is this it?
T.
Posted by Phillipa on July 22, 2013, at 20:16:32
In reply to Re: Article: Big pharma fights publication efforts » Phillipa, posted by Tomatheus on July 21, 2013, at 23:20:45
I'm pretty sure there are more? Is there anyway to see all? Thanks Phillipa
Posted by Phillipa on July 22, 2013, at 20:21:54
In reply to Re: Article: Big pharma fights publication efforts » Tomatheus, posted by Phillipa on July 22, 2013, at 20:16:32
I found this one first one. Phillipa
Posted by Tomatheus on July 22, 2013, at 20:44:02
In reply to Re: Article: Big pharma fights publication efforts » Tomatheus, posted by Phillipa on July 22, 2013, at 20:16:32
> I'm pretty sure there are more? Is there anyway to see all? Thanks Phillipa
I'm not sure if there's a way to access information on all (or at least more) of the drugs that have been entered into the FDA's Adverse Events Reporting System. If nobody else here will tell you how you could access that information (assuming that it's available) and you're still curious, you could always try contacting the FDA:
http://www.fda.gov/AboutFDA/ContactFDA/default.htm
T.
This is the end of the thread.
Psycho-Babble Medication | Extras | FAQ
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.org
Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.