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LETTERS: Benet Middleton Interests of charities: Diabetes UK has long recognised importance of transparency in funding BMJ 2003; 327: 344-b-345-b [Full text]

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Diabetes UK's response to NICE glitazone guidence

Anthony R Cox   (28 August 2003)

Diabetes UK's response to NICE glitazone guidence 28 August 2003
Anthony R Cox, Pharmacist City Hospital, Birmingham, England, B18 7QH. Send response to journal: Re: Diabetes UK's response to NICE glitazone guidence	Diabetes UK are reported in the BBC-online's Health section to be opposing the NICE guidance on the use of glitazones in Type 2 Diabetes. NICE advise that glitazones should be reserved until other treatments have been tried, such as sulphonylureas and metformin.(1) Diabetes UK's spokesperson said: "Doctors and patients need to have access to the treatments that are best for them. Today's ruling will deny that." "Diabetes is costing the NHS millions of pounds a day, much of which is spent on treating the long-term effects of the condition, many of which could be prevented with early, effective treatment." Diabetes UK has recently alluded to it's transparency and accountability with regard to corporate sponsorship. (2) In 2002 they received £750,000 from pharmaceutical companies. I am unable to ascertain from their website whether any of these funds are provided by the manufacturers of either glitazone currently on the market. It would be helpful if Diabetes UK could have a list of corporate sponsors on their website. No declaration of interests is given in the BBC article. yours Anthony Cox (1) Diabetes drug 'rationing' claim. BBC on-line http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/3186107.stm (accessed 27th August 2003) (2) http://bmj.com/cgi/content/full/327/7410/344-b Competing interests:   None declared