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The Campaign for Freedom of Information |
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| Companies Use FOI Law |
This article appeared in the Campaign's Secrets newspaper in August 1993.
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British pharmaceutical companies - which vigorously resist disclosure of safety data in the UK - regularly use the American Freedom of Information Act. Even the British government has benefitted from the American law. Over 400 freedom of information requests were made by British users between January 1990 and April 1993. Many came from British drug companies, according to Mr Gerald Deighton, head of the US Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) freedom of information office. The requesters also included the government's Medicines Control Agency (MCA). In March 1992 the MCA used the FOI Act to obtain an inspection report on the French subsidiary of the British company Fisons. In June 1992 the Ministry of Agriculture's Central Veterinary Laboratory applied for internal FDA documents on laboratory inspection standards. Industry requesters include Glaxo Ltd, Glaxo Group Research Ltd, Glaxo Manufacturing Service and Glaxochem Task Force. Glaxo vigorously opposed the Medicines Information Bill. Requests were also made by ICI Pharmaceuticals, ICI Engineering, Zeneca Pharmaceuticals, Wellcome Research Laboratories, Wellcome Foundation, Pfizer Ltd, Smith Kline Beecham, Boots Pharmaceuticals, Fisons Pharmaceuticals, Unipath Ltd, Lilly Research Centre Ltd, Ciba-Geigy Pharmaceuticals, Unipath Ltd, BIBRA Toxicology International, Hazleton, and Celltech. Other British users included academics, doctors, research laboratories, TV researchers, journalists, publishers, consumer organisations and pressure groups. The information available includes a summary basis of approval, summarising the safety data which led to a product's approval; FDA scientists' reviews of the product; transcripts of government advisory committee meetings; factory and laboratory inspection reports; and reports of side effects experienced by patients. All this information can be obtained on British products sold in the US. Mr Deighton, speaking at a meeting in the House of Commons on April 29, said companies used the FOI Act to help them check they were meeting FDA standards; to learn about new side effects; to check whether independent laboratories to whom they might give contracts were up to scratch; and to keep an eye on the latest Agency thinking and guidelines. Trade secret information - such as manufacturing methods and sales data - are exempt from access. |
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