Head of German NICE was sacrificed to satisfy drug industry, says German health expert

The German government has sacked the head of the Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWIG) to placate the drug industry, a German MP and professor alleged in an interview with the BMJ.

In January the board of directors of IQWIG, the German equivalent of the United Kingdom’s National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), agreed Peter Sawicki’s dismissal, saying, “The excellent work of the institute should not be burdened with discussions about irregular administrative procedures.” Dr Sawicki had been accused of irregularities over his expenses claims, including the use of his business car and petrol for his lawnmower (BMJ 2010;340:c499, 26 Jan, doi:10.1136/bmj.c499).

Karl Lauterbach is certain, however, that the real reason for Dr Sawicki’s dismissal is pressure from drug companies in Germany and from abroad to which the German …