Healthy Skepticism Library item: 10323

Warning: This library includes all items relevant to health product marketing that we are aware of regardless of quality. Often we do not agree with all or part of the contents.

Publication type: Journal Article

Butcher J.
UK will lose clinical trials if electronic records system is delayed, ABPI warns
BMJ 2007 Jun 2; 334:(7604):1132
http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/334/7604/1132-a

Abstract:

The drug industry will carry out fewer trials in the United Kingdom unless electronic patient records can be deployed quickly throughout the NHS, warned Richard Barker, director general of the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry. Dr Barker was speaking last week at a meeting organised by the UK Clinical Research Consortium on the use of electronic patient records for research and to improve health.

Dr Barker said that other countries are now able to host good quality trials at a much lower cost than is possible in the UK, and he believes that an NHS-wide electronic patient record system could be hugely attractive to the drug industry, as it would allow drug companies to easily identify patients fitting a trial’s inclusion and exclusion criteria.

An electronic registry would also allow drug companies or regulatory agencies to carry out detailed post-approval surveillance of a product’s safety and efficacy. “People do . . .