Written question asked by Patsy Calton (Liberal Democrat) on Thursday, 12 June 2003, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 24 June 2003. It was answered by Melanie Johnson (Labour) on Tuesday, 24 June 2003 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Dept of Health

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to require the disclosure of company drug trial results.

Answer: Mrs. Calton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to require the disclosure of company drug trial results. [119775] Miss Melanie Johnson: There are no plans currently in place to require disclosure of company drug trial results. The Government welcome the pharmaceutical industry's support for the Department of Health's research governance framework for health and social care, which recognises that it is researchers' responsibility to ensure that research findings are opened to critical review through the accepted scientific and professional channels and disseminated promptly once established. The Government encourage the pharmaceutical industry to disclose drug trial results to the maximum extent consistent with regulatory process and intellectual property rights.

Secondary information