British pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline Inc had distorted clinical results of its antidepressant Seroxat which causes suicidal tendencies in teenagers who were prescribed with the tablet, a BBC investigation said.

BBC's investigative program, Panorama reveals that GSK tried to pass off the drug saying that it works on teenagers even when clinical trials showed contrary results. The BBC also added that the company used "ghost writers" in order to influence independent academics during the trials.

At least 50,000 British teenagers were prescribed the drug before it was banned for patients less than 18 years in 2003. The BBC expose reveals that GSK officials had concerns about the drug even before it was released into the market. The matter came to light when a number of bereaved families in US lodged a lawsuit case against GSK.

The company was forced to make public some of its confidential internal archive. One of the lawyers representing the families, Karen Barth Menzies said that on examining the contents of the documents, she came to know that GSK influenced "independent" academics even when results clearly showed that the drug was not safe for teenagers.

"Even when they have negative studies that show that this drug Seroxat is going to harm some kids they still spin that study as remarkably effective and safe for children", she said. The documents reveal that child psychiatrist Dr Neal Ryan of the University of Pittsburgh was paid by GSK to act as a co-author of the extensive Seroxat clinical trial conducted in the US, known as Study 329.

In a conference about childhood depression in 2002 Dr Ryan recommended that Seroxat could be safely used in the treatment of children and during a conversation with Panorama reporter Shelley Jofre, Dr Ryan declared that the drug lowered rather than raised suicide rates.

However Shelley was surprised to find several of the letters that she had sent to Dr Ryan during the investigation that he had mailed them to GSK asking them for an "appropriate response". Shelley also found an internal email in which a GSK public relations executive clearly spells concern about the drug.

"Originally we had planned to do extensive media relations surrounding this study until we actually viewed the results. Essentially the study did not really show it was effective in treating adolescent depression, which is not something we want to publicize", the mail read.

Meanwhile GSK has denied the allegations saying that they were completely baseless. "We utterly reject the allegations that are being made in their program. In developing Seroxat, GSK has always been strongly conscious of the duty it owes to the millions of patients who suffer from depression and refutes any allegation that it has failed in this duty. Seroxat has never been approved by EU or US regulators as a medicine for those under 18 years of age and GSK's UK product labeling has been entirely consistent with that position", a spokesperson for the company said.

Be first to comment this article

Write Comment

Please keep the topic of messages relevant to the subject of the article. Personal verbal attacks will be deleted. Please don't use comments to plug your web site. Such material will be removed. Just ensure to *Refresh* your browser for a new security code to be displayed prior to clicking on the 'Send' button. Keep in mind that the above process only applies if you simply entered the wrong security code.
Name:
E-mail
BBCode:
Comment:
Code:*
	I wish to be contacted by email regarding additional comments

Powered by AkoComment Tweaked Special Edition v.1.4.4