In 2003, Britain's biggest drug company, Glaxo-SmithKline (GSK), handed a document to the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). It was proof that GSK's popular anti-depressant, Seroxat, could make depressed children suicidal. Subsequently, MHRA advised all doctors not to prescribe Seroxat to children and launched a thorough investigation of GSK for withholding data from the regulator. This case shows the inadequacies of regulation when faced by the might of the drug companies. It shows that big business will do everything possible to increase revenue even when their products are not effective. Drug companies will always hide adverse data that threatens profits. At its height, GSK was making £1 billion just from Seroxat.

Recently, the BBC exposed the drug company, Reckitt, which has blocked the development of a cheaper generic copy of their indigestion drug Gaviscon, costing the NHS over £40 million. Such malpractices are common because the pursuit of profit drives the drug companies. It is clear the regulatory bodies, in spite of their legislative muscles, are powerless to protect consumers. Drug companies pay scant attention to their ethical responsibility in reporting adverse findings. In the case of Seroxat, a legal drug was given to vulnerable children even though the company knew it was dangerous but did nothing except promote its use to make the maximum profit.

Today many civic-conscious doctors in Britain are calling on the government to nationalise all drug companies to break the grip of these profit-driven multinationals. The billions wasted in competition, marketing and advertising can be used to develop new drugs and treatments.

The frequent admonition churned out by the drug firms is 'ask your doctor' and this is a weak disclaimer of responsibility by the pharmaceutical giants. A possible result of advertisements in the mass media is that people will take or request drugs that may be harmful or unnecessary and increase doctor visits, imposing further demands on physician and hospital services. With the escalating cost of pharmaceuticals for senior citizens and the uninsured, the pharmaceutical industry has demonstrated an unconscionable level of indifference and greed towards the needs of the public. Many American doctors feel that it is highly unlikely that drug companies will voluntarily discontinue their lucrative marketing practices, and hence intervention by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ban advertising is imperative. Carried to its logical conclusion, congressional action becomes a necessity.

The HSA should be more prudent before it relaxes the rules and guidelines on advertising by the drug companies. Doctors owe a duty of care to their patients and hence should be more cautious when the drug companies try to grease their palms.

Heng Cho Choon