Independent drug watchdog in Canada under funding threat

doi:10.1136/bmj.39598.708333.DB

BMJ 2008;336:1270 (7 June), doi:10.1136/bmj.39598.708333.DB

News

Independent drug watchdog in Canada under funding threat

Ray Moynihan, Melbourne

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

An internationally respected drug advisory body based at theUniversity of British Columbia is facing closure after a reportto the provincial minister for health called for its "replacement."

The Therapeutics Initiative (www.ti.ubc.ca) produces evidencebased reviews of drugs for doctors, policy makers, and the public,and the group has strict conflict of interest policies, whichguarantee that its findings are as free of industry influenceas possible.

A report from a task force of nine, submitted to the healthminister of British Columbia last month, claims that althoughthe Therapeutics Initiative "has served an important role inthe past, it is now widely regarded as being in need of eithersubstantial revitalisation or replacement. The task force regardsreplacement as the better option."

The health minister, George Abbott, said that he would acceptthe task force’s recommendations, sparking a strong globalreaction in support of the independent . . . [Full text of this article]

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