Monday, June 14, 2004

Glaxo to Release Child Depression Trials Results
Reuters Health story at Medscape - "GlaxoSmithKline Plc said on Thursday it plans to release trial results of its depression drug Paxil in children and adolescents after the New York attorney general accused it of suppressing the information. The British drugmaker said that to 'clarify the nature of these data,' which New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer said was negative and deliberately hidden, it will shortly be making available summaries of the reports on its Web Site at www.gsk.com. Spitzer has sued GlaxoSmithKline claiming it fraudulently concealed studies showing Paxil may not work when used to treat children and could lead to suicidal behavior. Glaxo has denied the allegations..." "med"  
  

Drug Company Influence Under Microscope
AP story reprinted at PsycPORT - "Drug companies' influence on medical research and on doctors themselves will be under the microscope as the nation's largest group of physicians gathers for its annual meeting this week. Proposals facing the American Medical Association include a measure seeking to make all drug study results public, even unpublished research funded by pharmaceutical companies that might reflect poorly on their products. The measure stems partly from concern over unpublished data linking some antidepressants with suicidal behavior in children. Government officials are investigating the potential link. Another measure would strengthen a policy the AMA adopted last year on 'shadowing,'' the practice of drug company representatives sitting in on patients' visits with their doctors. Critics say the practice is an attempt to influence what medicines are prescribed. Drug companies say the practice is educational, but they sometimes pay hundreds of dollars a day to the doctors for these visiting rights - money the new measure says doctors should refuse..."  
  

A turf war over mental health
Boston Globe story - "Across the United States, psychiatrists and psychologists are engaged in a bruising battle. Two professions normally focused on respecting emotions and listening are instead hurling barbs, accusing each other of caring more about money and turf than patients. The issue: giving psychologists the authority to prescribe drugs. A long-smoldering debate ignited last month when Louisiana passed a law allowing psychologists there to write prescriptions. Psychiatrists, who as medical doctors can prescribe, bitterly fought the legislation and said they fear it will generate momentum in other states."