CSM attacked over delay in reducing secrecy

The body that advises the UK government on the licensing of medicines has been accused of excessive delay in fulfilling its promises to publish edited minutes of its meetings on the internet.

Social Audit, a pressure group which monitors the pharmaceutical industry, says that a promise to reduce secrecy made 10 months ago has still not been fulfilled.

The Committee on Safety of Medicines (CSM) promised to open up more of its work to public scrutiny after complaints of undue secrecy surrounding its operations were upheld by Michael Buckley, the health service ombudsman (BMJ 1999;319:939).

In a letter to Social Audit last September, Roy Alder, head …