|
|
The Campaign for Freedom of Information |
|
| The Industry's Tactics |
This article appeared in the Campaign's Secrets newspaper in August 1993.
|
The negotiating tactics of the pharmaceutical industry were a remarkable feature of the Bill's progress. The industry claimed that one particular clause seriously threatened their commercial interests. They said that if this was deleted the bill would largely be acceptable. Giles Radice later dropped the clause - only to find the industry denouncing the amended bill with undiminuished vigour. This remarkable display of opportunism came from the British Pharma Group (BPG) which represents six major British drug companies: Glaxo, ICI (now Zeneca), Fisons, Boots, SmithKline Beecham and Wellcome. The industry said its concerns were largely centred around Clause 4 of the Bill, which proposed a wide right of access to safety information, subject to an exemption for manufacturing secrets. On February 22 1993, the BPG wrote: "If clause 4...were to be retained in the Bill it is likely that companies would cease to use the UK MCA" [Medicines Control Agency], and take their products to Europe instead. It added that the bill's other clauses "require relatively minor modification" and that the remainder of the bill "with appropriate modifications, is unlikely to create significant problems for research based companies". Faced with opposition from both the government and industry, Giles Radice dropped the clause. The British Pharma Group promptly wrote to the Minister (March 1) warning that the amended bill would "would wreak real and lasting damage to the industry". Unashamedly reversing its position it now recycled the threat it had earlier made about clause 4. If the bill, now minus this clause, was passed British companies would probably "simply cease to use the UK MCA" it warned. To avoid confusion it added: "Our overall views about this Bill...have remained consistent throughout". |
|
|
More articles from Secrets. |
|
Environmental & Safety Information. |
|
Home page. |