ABPI sets up links to clinical trials databases
pharmafile | July 7, 2005 | News story | Sales and Marketing |Â Â Â
Website links to details of more than 4,000 clinical trials have been published by the ABPI, as the global agreement on making trial data available comes into effect.
The industry hopes that allowing public access to the information will counter long-standing criticism over the lack of transparency of clinical trial data.
It also hopes the move could act as a spur to recruiting patients to undertake trials while acting as a research tool for researchers and healthcare professionals.
"For some time, the UK-based industry has been firmly committed to the principle of enabling public access to information about clinical trials, and the establishment of these links on our website is a further help to those who want information about such research," commented Dr Richard Barker, director general of the ABPI.
The ABPI has published hyperlinks to seven different websites, the US-based clinical trials register, the ABPI's own UK-centred website, and clinical trial data provided by five pharma companies: AstraZeneca, Roche, GlaxoSmithKline, Lilly and Organon.
A number of other companies, like Bayer, Merck and Forrest Laboratories have also established their own databases.
The proposals to establish a global register of clinical trials on marketed products was drawn up this year by the industry's trade bodies, with the agreement of major pharma companies.
Pharma companies have been instructed to publish their data in a non-promotional summary within one year of the medicine being approved.
As part of the agreement, pharma companies also pledged to make available trial data on forthcoming trials and medicines which are currently undergoing trials.
Related links:
ABPI website:
Public websites containing industry clinical trial registrations
