[SSRI-Research] Inquiry into pharmaceutical industry a victory for consumer rights

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Sat, 19 Jun 2004 17:07:26 -0400

[sSRI-Research] Inquiry into pharmaceutical industry a victory for

consumer rights

 

Inquiry into pharmaceutical industry a victory for consumer rights - Mind

Chief Executive

 

http://www.mind.org.uk/News+policy+and+campaigns/Press/drugsinquiry.htm

 

 

Immediate release - Friday 18 June 04

 

Inquiry into pharmaceutical industry a victory for consumer rights

 

Richard Brook, Chief Executive of mental health charity Mind, has today

welcomed the announcement there is to be a parliamentary inquiry into the

influence wielded by the pharmaceutical industry on UK health policy and

treatment provision. Key terms of reference for the inquiry will include the

power of drugs companies in relation to medical research, drugs trials and the

independent regulation of pharmaceutical medicine.

 

Mind has long questioned the influence of pharmaceutical giants on the

promotion and regulation of medicines. In recent months, the ability of the

Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) to safeguard

patients' interests has been called into question over the revelation that many

thousands of people were exposed to potentially harmful doses of the

antidepressant Seroxat (*1). In March this year Mr Brook resigned from an MHRA

advisory panel on SSRI antidepressants, expressing concern that the agency had

been aware of these problems, but had failed to act.

 

Richard Brook said,

 

" The announcement that the Commons Health Committee is to investigate the

role of the drugs companies in relation to the way medicines are developed,

promoted and regulated is a significant victory for the British consumer. In

particular, it is testament to the determination of ordinary people to have

their concerns over antidepressant side effects heard and acted upon by the

regulatory authorities.

 

" The regulator's prime function should always be protecting the public

from bad medicine. It should never be open to influence from pharmaceutical

multinationals seeking instead to protect their commercial interests.

 

" We have been expressing unease over the power that drugs companies

possess in relation to medicines evaluation for some time. And we have been

concerned that medicines that are not fully understood with relation to adverse

side effects are all too often aggressively promoted.

 

" Mind hopes that this inquiry will result in a better deal for millions of

people, regardless of their condition or their prescribed treatment. Meanwhile

we will continue to campaign for truly independent drugs evaluation and

regulation. The British public deserves a system that puts the patient at the

heart of the decision-making process. "

 

*** Ends ***

 

(*1) Seroxat is one of a group of newer antidepressants called SSRIs

(Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors)

 

 

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© 2004 Mind (National Association for Mental Health)