article_snippet.sent: But the BMJ says Drug company Novartis has consistently tried to ‘undermine and divert attention’ from trials to prove Avastin works –
article_snippet.sent: Novartis, which markets Lucentis in the UK, has allegedly tried to
article_snippet.sent: the BMJ the BMJ obtained emails under a freedom of information request showing that clinicians with ties to Novartis had urged some primary care trusts to pull out of one Avastin trial, while efforts were made to ‘derail’ a second publicly funded UK trial.
article_snippet.sent: The trial’s chief investigator, Alex Foss, a consultant ophthalmologist at Queen’s Medical Centre, Nottingham, told the BMJ the BMJ how, during the planning stage, a Novartis representative tried to divert a Novartis representative to Novartis funded work – with the prospect of future funds for personal research projects.
article_snippet.sent: the BMJ says drug company Novartis (pictured) has consistently tried to ‘undermine and divert attention’ from trials to prove Avastin works –
article_snippet.sent: Dr Foss said: ‘Dr Foss stated Novartis would do everything to stop The trial’s and challenge Novartis ethics.
article_snippet.sent: Dr Foss stated the challenge would not come from Novartis but from the RNIB.
article_snippet.sent: Dr Foss said the Novartis representative, whom Dr Foss met in a pub, had funded an RNIB campaign to get Lucentis made available to patients before approval by the NHS watchdog.
article_snippet.sent: The RNIB told the BMJ that last year only 0.3 per cent of The RNIB total income was from drug companies.
article_snippet.sent: A Novartis spokesman said: ‘Novartis does not tolerate unethical behaviour by Novartis associates in any country, and has a comprehensive compliance programme in place to help ensure that our associates comply with the company’s code of conduct and all applicable laws.
article_snippet.sent: Novartis strongly believes that patients have the right to the highest standard of care and that the right to the highest standard of care should be defended to promote safety and quality.