BMJ  2003;327:1005 (1 November), doi:10.1136/bmj.327.7422.1005-a

News

Lancet accuses AstraZeneca of sponsoring biased research

London

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

The Lancet last week took the unprecedented step of accusing Europe's second biggest drug company, AstraZeneca, of sponsoring biased research into its new anticholesterol drug rosuvastatin (Crestor).

In an editorial, the journal's editor, Richard Horton, said the company's tactics "raise disturbing questions about how drugs enter clinical practice and what measures exist to protect patients from inadequately investigated medicines" ( Lancet 2003;362: 1341[CrossRef][Web of Science][Medline]).

The Galaxy series of clinical trials, which investigated the efficacy of rosuvastatin, included "weak data," "adventurous statistics," and "marketing dressed up as research," said the editorial. "Physicians must tell their patients the truth about rosuvastatin, that, compared with competitors, it has an inferior evidence base supporting its safe use."

The "unprincipled campaign," said Dr Horton, had cast into shadow the glittering career of Tom McKillop, the company's chief executive. Dr McKillop reacted furiously . . . [Full text of this article]

CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    StumbleUpon    Technorati    What's this?

Relevant Article

Reinvention starts here

Tony Delamothe
BMJ 2003 327: 0. [Extract] [Full Text] [PDF]

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Rychetnik, L., Hawe, P., Waters, E., Barratt, A., Frommer, M. (2004). A glossary for evidence based public health. J. Epidemiol. Community Health 58: 538-545 [Abstract] [Full text]  
• (2004). Hit Parade. BMJ 328: 173-173 [Full text]  

Rapid Responses:

Read all Rapid Responses

Mystique on the drug market

Aviva Sheb'a
bmj.com, 1 Nov 2003 [Full text]

publication or publicity ?

Patrick SILVESTRE
bmj.com, 3 Nov 2003 [Full text]

Good Personal Experience using Rosuvastatin

Dr Grant Dex
bmj.com, 5 Nov 2003 [Full text]

Don`t mislead our patients

Lucas A. Kleemann, MD
bmj.com, 12 Nov 2003 [Full text]

Online poll

Find out more >>