[Ip-health] Kings Fund attacks pharma on R&D priorities

[James Love]

http://www.pmlive.com/ddd/news.cfm?showArticle=3D1&ArticleID=3D2663

Kings Fund attacks pharma
Date published: 16/12/2003

Pharma is putting the =93promotion of wealth=94 before the =93promotion of
health=94, according to a Kings Fund report.

In a scathing attack on the pharmaceutical industry the report, Getting
the Right Medicines?, accuses pharma of not taking into full account the
specific health needs of children, women and older people when
conducting research. This is because research designed to protect and
promote health attracts far fewer resources than research to find new
and profitable drugs, the report says.

The major reason for this, the report argues, is the failure of
successive governments to clarify its health-related R&D objectives. The
=93implicit public-private partnership=94 between government and pharma,
therefore, needs to be made more explicit.

Anthony Harrison, author of the report, said: =93For too long the
pharmaceutical industry has been in the driving seat of this
relationship, with government acting as a passive purchaser of drugs.
Whilst this partnership has undoubtedly been an economic success, the
interests of patients and the public clearly do not always coincide with
what will be most profitable for the pharmaceutical industry.=94

The report calls for the introduction of a Health Research and
Development Task Force which would identify why certain treatments and
sections of society are neglected by existing public and private sector
R&D programmes. A systematic evaluation of neglected areas of R&D where
there is a potential high benefit, is also needed.

Julia Neuberger, chief executive of the Kings Fund, said: =93At the moment
the relationship between government and the pharmaceutical industry
often fails to meet the health needs of the very people it is supposed
to be benefiting. We need a relationship that promotes health rather
that just providing drug treatments.=94

The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI), however,
dismissed the claims. Trevor Jones, ABPI director general, said: =93The
pharmaceutical industry in the UK is one of the most innovative in the
world, and its research programmes embrace an enormous range of disease
targets.=94

Jones pointed out that dozens of new medicines designed for diseases
specifically affecting women, children, the elderly and people in the
developing world have been produced over the past five years, with =93many
hundreds more=94 in R&D.

He argued that it would be =93quite wrong=94 to suggest that pharma's
research endeavour was determined by the government. =93The UK-based
industry is extremely innovative and as well as competitive. This must
be allowed to continue if these research projects are to produce the
medicines that will help people of both sexes and all ages, race and
nationalities,=94 he said.

The Department of Health (DoH) also defended its relationship with
pharma. Alison Langley, spokesperson for the DoH told PMLive.com: =93The
government's policies towards the pharmaceutical industry have always
been to balance the economic benefits of a successful UK-based industry
with the benefits that modern medicines can bring to patients.=94

=93There is a strong partnership working on research. For instance, the
government, leading charities and industry are working together with
patients to take a strategic overview of cancer research through the
National Cancer Research Institute,=94 Langley added.