E-DRUG: Save the Drug Therapeutics Bulletin!
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[This message is first of all for UK E-druggers, but I am sure others may participate to show that the journal is important alos outside the UK. If you need a generic letter, please respond to Merav directly as E-drug cannot post attachments. KM, moderator]
The Drugs and Therapeutics Bulletin (DTB) has been providing NHS doctors in
England with independent information about new medications for over 20
years. Up until now, the bulletin has been funded by the Department of
Health and Which?. However on 31 March 2006, the Department of Health failed
to renew the contract.
Over the years, DTB has initiated successful campaigns for the removal or
restriction of medicines that it could not recommend; prompted withdrawal of
inappropriate promotional claims, e.g. the withdrawal of UK advertising for
Yasmin, a combined oral contraception pill, and more recently, Viteyes, a
nutritional supplement for macular degeneration; and exposed fundamental
weaknesses in certain treatment policy and prescribing practice, e.g. in
articles on 'Are rofecoxib and celecoxib safer NSAIDS?'; 'mild depression in
general practice: time for rethink?'; and 'Simvastatin over the counter'.
The contract for national provision of DTB had been capped at £1.4 million
per year over a 6 year period. This is in the context of an NHS drug budget
of around £8 billion per year and a pharmaceutical industry annual spend on
promotion of £1.65 billion. DTB testimonials from a broad range of
healthcare professionals confirm that the central provision of DTB is of
enormous value to the NHS. In particular, clinicians see that DTB is crucial
to the NHS in providing a balance to the promotional activities of the
pharmaceutical industry. The fact that this view was echoed strongly by the
Government and Department of Health at the recent Health Select Committee
inquiry into the influence of the Pharmaceutical Industry shows the
hollowness of the Department of Healths argument in terminating DTBs
contract.
We are asking that you help to reverse this decision by the Department of
Health. To do this, we are joining DTB in a letter campaign. Write a letter
and send it to:
Rt Hon Patricia Hewitt MP
Secretary of State for Health
Department of Health
Richmond House
79 Whitehall
London SW1A 2NS
Alternatively, you can send an email to HYPERLINK
dhmail@doh.gsi.gov.uk.
In addition, please send the other letter to your local MP. You can find
his/her address and email at HYPERLINK
http://www.locata.co.uk/commons/.
We feel that a letter would be more effective as it is less easily ignored
however if you are short of time, an email would also be effective.
We have attached 2 generic letters which are ready to be sent out if you do
not have the time to write a personalised one.
Please take the time to help us to ensure the future of this important
resource.
Merav Kliner
PharmAware National Committee UK
HYPERLINK leeds@pharmaware.co.uk
HYPERLINK www.pharmaware.co.uk