"A refreshing addition to the world of think-tanks" Daily Telegraph, 18/10/2007
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MEDIA RELEASE: PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES ARE PROTECTING CONSUMERS
11 December 2007
Responding to the Office of Fair Trading’s finding that there is a “significant risk” of higher NHS drugs costs due to changes in distribution of medicine, Progressive Vision, the classical liberal think tank, has praised the pharmaceutical industry for taking prudent steps to protect the consumer against counterfeit drugs.
Shane Frith, Director of Progressive Vision, said: "It is vital for consumers to be protected against fake and counterfeit drugs. European Union law does not allow pharmaceutical companies to fully control and manage their supply chains. Until these laws are changed, companies such as Pfizer are taking the highly responsible - and only available - step of doing all they can to minimise the risks to patients of low-grade or fake drugs entering the market. Even if costs to the NHS do rise, we can be reassured that the medicines we are prescribed are more likely to be the genuine article. And price caps need to be resisted – they would merely stifle innovation and discourage research."
ENDS
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