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Thread: Scotland: How Big Pharma funds trials for the drugs you are prescribed

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    Scotland: How Big Pharma funds trials for the drugs you are prescribed

    Scotland: How Big Pharma funds trials for the drugs you are prescribed


    Paul Hutceon
    Herald Scotland
    Sun, 13 Apr 2014 00:00 CDT

    The Scottish NHS body that approves new drugs is under pressure after it emerged it gave a green light to a new pill for heavy drinkers on the basis of clinical trials funded by the drug's own manufacturer.

    The Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) approved Nalmefene, licensed by Lundbeck, after assessing the studies and a positive submission by a charity also funded by the pharmaceutical company.

    The revelations have raised questions about whether the health body is scrutinising conflicts of interest.

    The SMC has the responsibility of considering whether new medicines should be recommended for use in the health service.

    Over £1 billion of the NHS budget in Scotland is spent on drugs every year: a hugely lucrative pot for the pharma industry.

    The Sunday Herald recently revealed how dozens of doctors who either sit on the SMC or advise the body have financial links to health firms.

    A BBC Panorama investigation tomorrow will also probe the links between doctors and "Big Pharma" at a UK level.

    This newspaper can reveal the SMC is facing further scrutiny, this time over the way its recommendations are made.

    The SMC last year approved the use of Nalmefene, a tablet used to tackle alcohol dependence by reducing cravings.

    It costs around £43 for 14 pills and Scotland was the first country in Europe to prescribe it.

    The SMC judgment was based on three clinical trials, which concluded that Nalmefene reduced alcohol consumption.

    However, the trials were funded by Lundbeck - the Danish pharma company that holds the licence for the drug. Lundbeck's bid was also supported by the British Liver Trust (BLT), which argued that the pill would provide a treatment option for people with liver disease.

    Continued...
    “The spirits of darkness are now among us. We have to be on guard so that we may realize what is happening when we encounter them and gain a real idea of where they are to be found. The most dangerous thing you can do in the immediate future will be to give yourself up unconsciously to the influences which are definitely present.” ~ Rudolf Steiner



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    $64 million in bribes paid to UK doctors last year by drug companies

    Wednesday, April 16, 2014 by: J. D. Heyes

    New data that once again highlights the incestuous relationship between Big Pharma and the medical industry indicate that British doctors were paid some $64 million by drug makers, which was only slightly less than in 2012.

    According to Reuters, such industry payments to physicians have increasingly come under scrutiny following several scandals involving drug sales practices, most notably in the United States, as well as concerns that such close ties put commercial interests of drug makers ahead of what is best for patients.

    As noted by Reuters:

    The figure, announced by the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) on Thursday, was slightly down on the 2012 level of 40 million pounds [about $66.9 million].

    Cozy relationships going to see the light of day

    Criticism of the tight relationship between healthcare providers -- doctors especially -- and pharmaceutical companies has led to some companies rethinking their operations. For example, in December, GlaxoSmithKline said it would stop payments to doctors to promote its drugs, but the company will still pay fees for clinical research and advisory work.

    Continued...
    “The spirits of darkness are now among us. We have to be on guard so that we may realize what is happening when we encounter them and gain a real idea of where they are to be found. The most dangerous thing you can do in the immediate future will be to give yourself up unconsciously to the influences which are definitely present.” ~ Rudolf Steiner



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