Healthy Skepticism Library item: 16406

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

Eaton L
Drug industry must be regulated more tightly in recession, says think tank
BMJ 2009 Aug 30;
http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/extract/339/sep03_1/b3597

Abstract:

Tighter curbs are needed on the influence of the UK drug industry on doctors and patient groups, particularly during a recession, says a report from the left wing think tank Compass.

With fewer opportunities to make profits from existing bestselling drugs, many of which come off patent between now and 2011, companies are likely to “squeeze more from less” through increasingly dubious methods, say the authors.

Drug companies exert too much influence over prescribing practice, which can unnecessarily raise costs for the NHS and raise risks for patients, they say, pointing out that the drug industry spends £1.65bn (1.88bn; $2.68bn) on postgraduate education for doctors-more than 300 times as much as the Department of Health, which invests nearly £4.95m in postgraduate medical education.

The industry is also trying to unduly influence patient groups, which risks their independence and objectivity, the authors warn. Funding from drug companies should be pooled . . .