GlaxoSmithKline staff told not to publicise ineffectiveness of its drug

doi:10.1136/bmj.328.7437.422-a

BMJ 2004;328:422 (21 February), doi:10.1136/bmj.328.7437.422-a

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GlaxoSmithKline staff told not to publicise ineffectiveness of its drug

David Spurgeon

Quebec

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

CMAJ (the journal of the Canadian Medical Association) has publisheddetails of an internal document from the drug company GlaxoSmithKlinethat advised its staff to withhold the findings of a clinicaltrial in 1998 showing that the antidepressant paroxetine hadno benefit in treating adolescents.

The association has publicised the document on its website inan early release of its Analysis column (www.cmaj.ca).

Last year, the drug, which is marketed as Paxil in North Americaand Seroxat in the United Kingdom, was banned for paediatricuse in several countries because of a perceived increased riskof suicide.

The UK Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency adviseddoctors last June that they should not prescribe the drug topatients under the age of 18.

The CMAJ column says the confidential document was preparedby the central medical affairs team, a division of SmithKlineBeecham, the company that subsequently merged . . . [Full text of this article]

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