Information concerning adverse reactions to drugs should be
disclosed in time to benefit the public, according to an article in
Beijing News.
Clindamycin phosphate glucose, an inexpensive antibiotic
produced by Anhui Huayuan Worldbest Biology Pharmacy Co and used to
treat infections, has reportedly been linked to four deaths and
more than 80 cases of severe adverse reactions. The public has cast
much attention to this incident. This also urges related
departments to investigate the issue. But time and confidence
should be given to the drug administrators. Before the authorities'
conclusion comes out, we should all be cool-headed towards all
rational doubts.
The local drug administrators of Anhui Province, where the drug was produced,
have felt much pressure. On the one hand, they have to focus on
inspecting and recalling the drugs; on the other hand, they have to
deal with the media and worry about the result of an information
release.
Last year, also in Anhui Province, local authorities made a
timely disclosure of information on the prevalence of encephalities
B and a vaccine case in Sixian County, which both aroused much
agitation in the country. But finally they were criticized for
wrongly disclosing encephalities B information to create confusion
and harm social stability. In the vaccine case, while the media hit
the vaccine producer and seller, experts concluded that it was only
a group psychological event and there was no problem with the
vaccine's quality.
Obviously the drug administrators have mixed feelings this time.
They only passively released the information about Clindamycin
phosphate glucose in August 1, after the media disclosed it. Media
criticized them for "trying to cover the truth."
Then it is really risky to disclose information about adverse
reaction of drugs. Early release may lead to unnecessary panic and
if the final conclusion has nothing to do with drug quality, the
drug producers may even require compensation. But late disclosure
may cause more suffering if there is really a problem with the
drug. Then when is the right time to publicize adverse reactions to
drugs? How can those drug administrators open information according
to related procedures without worries?
There will be risks sooner or later.
Late disclosure may put the public in danger without any
preventive measures, which is worse. And to disclose the
information when the situation got severe will undoubtedly cause
bigger social instability. This lesson should be learned from the
SARS crisis of 2003.
Timely disclosure of information may lead to a certain panic
reaction, but this will be temporary. The public will calm down
when they see no severe results. And they will rely on the
government more after they see the truthful disclosure of
information.
Therefore, timely disclosure of information is the major
principle of government information release.
The State Council defines in its regulation on emergent public
health events that emergency events include those that have caused
or may cause harm to public health. If there is a possibility of
harm, its information should be reported and disclosed.
And in fact, disclosing the information will not necessarily
affect social stability. For example, in this Clindamycin phosphate
glucose case, the government has publicized information like the
discovered adverse reaction cases, investigation measures,
treatment of patients and knowledge on adverse reaction, which
finely reduce public worries about it. Communication between the
public and government on the basis of mutual trust is the best
stabilizer for emergency events.
Related departments should not blame the drug administrators for
affecting social stability and the public should trust and
co-operate with them. Then the drug administrators will disclose
information without worries and thus benefit the public.
(China Daily August 9, 2006)