Controlled trials are universally touted as providing gold standard information on drugs. Doctors are routinely taught to disbelieve the evidence of their own eyes and trust in controlled trials instead. Governments in North America and Europe are forcing patients to participate in controlled trials — saying that you get better care in a controlled trial — and claiming that participation is also good for the health of the economy.
This belief that controlled trials are the only legitimate way to evaluate drugs is damaging healthcare and poses an increasing risk to everyone on medicines.
There is a tragic story behind this — the story of Louis Lasagna — the man responsible for the current glorification of controlled trials. Before he died he attempted to undo what he started. No one was listening. Will anyone listen now?
This lecture was delivered in Varese, Italy in June 2013. There is a lengthy question and answer session at the end.
annie says
How it all began is riveting.
How does it all end?
A criminal record is a criminal record.
Fines of three billion is a criminal record.
Spurious attempts at deflecting three billion fines by paying the bill is a criminal record.
So, far, we have GSK paying three billion fines in the US.
We have GSK trying to get themselves out of the hole of China corruption.
We have GSK trying to rid themselves of seedy trials in India.
We have GSK refusing to talk to a UK litigator.
A criminal record is a criminal record.
You might as well have a criminal record when you have a Medical Record from one of GSK’s drugs.
As a patient going through the journey of one of GSK’s drugs, who now has a Medical Record, the patient is tarred with the same brush, as a company with a Criminal Record.
So, the patient now has a Medical Record, from a Criminal Record and down the line it goes.
The patient, or in my case, the victim, is not allowed to adopt, to foster, to get through Disclosure Scotland because ‘people’ thought that GlaxoSmithKline were honest, upfront and clearly a respectable British Pharmaceutical Company.
Well, clearly, not. And, us, little warriors who keep our eyes open, clearly see how opportunistic our billion pound, UK flagship company is and, really, if I am going to be given a Medical Record which looks like a Criminal Record, then I want to talk to the makers of the drug that gave me a Medical Record…..who have a Criminal Record….
Comprenez vous?
Rxisk has a few other languages.