UNETHICAL PRACTICES BY PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES

Early day motion 1581, tabled 7 February 2006 by Paul Flynn (Labour). Signed by 31 members.

That this House deplores the violation of privacy arising from the release of confidential general practitioner NHS patient records to a representative of Merck pharmaceutical company and the routine access to hospital confidential records to nurse advisers employed by pharmaceutical companies; is alarmed that a nurse adviser employed by Glaxo Smith Kline used her access to patient records to push the company's drug Seretide and that the Wyeth company offered general practitioners financial inducements to prescribe its drugs; believes the activities of nurse advisers, trained and employed by drug companies, distort clinical priorities and lead to the unethical over-prescription and mis-prescription of medicines; and calls for an inquiry into the practice of allowing employees of drugs companies access to NHS patients and influence over prescribing decisions.

Signatures by party: Labour 22, Liberal Democrat 4, DUP 2, Plaid Cymru 2, Conservative 1.