english.prescrire.org > Spotlight > Archives : 2010 > Transparency in the pharmaceutical industry: Prescrire's 2009 Information Awards

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Transparency in the pharmaceutical industry: Prescrire's 2009 Information Awards

Prescrire rewards the companies that act responsibly by making their full data available to the editorial staff, and reminds companies failing to do so that releasing this information is in patients' best interests.

Prescrire's reviews of new drugs and new therapeutic indications for existing drugs are based on a thorough literature search for all evaluation data, especially clinical.

Prescrire also contacts the companies whose drugs are being reviewed to ensure that all the evidence is taken into account, including unpublished data. Prescrire’s Information Awards focus on the quality of the information provided to Prescrire by the companies whose products were assessed during the previous year in the New Products section of Prescrire's French edition.

The Information Award winners are selected methodically and in total independence, under rules that are available online at www.prescrire.org. The Information Awards recognise companies which act responsibly and provide comprehensive, pertinent data – especially unpublished data – in a timely manner: 6 companies made the Honours List in 2009, and 2 were deemed "Outstanding" for supplying particularly exhaustive and detailed information rapidly.

On the other hand, some companies either did not respond to Prescrire's request for information, or they either responded late or did not provide a comprehensive reply. 8 companies were given a "Red Card" in 2009, to spur them to do better, in the interest of patients and health professionals.

©Prescrire April 2010

"2009 Prescrire Information Awards" Prescrire Int 2010; 19 (106): 88 (pdf, free).

Download the full review