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Upjohn and FDA criticised over Halcion
Gun-toting Australians take aim than
70 000 people in the streets of to Parliament House on June 1, to protest about the recent agreement by state and federal governments to ban the possession and sale of military-style weapons. 30 000 gathered the following day to support the new laws. the Obtaining agreement of all the state and territory governments, which was prompted by the mass shooting in Tasmania on March 28, is only the first step in the implementation of the new scheme. Each of the eight state and territory governments
ore marched Melbourne
must now
put the ments
In
legislate
new
into the
farmers, subject to
have
loading
face
.22s and
guns to control feral
animals. Now, the chairman of the government’s ad hoc committee on the
of the new gun laws has indicated that his committee might soften the scheme by
implementation
allowing
owners
their semi-
automatics to single or double shot action
(Thus theyeasily fall into capable of converting them back.) opposed to gun control could hands
Firing squad of
FDA criticised
force appointed by the US and Drug Administration has concluded that Upjohn may have obscured information material to the safety of Halcion (triazolam), and has recommended that the Department of Justice investigate. But because the task force did not "refer" the matter, Upjohn may not face prosecution. The task force, however, continues to report findings to the department and the Attorney for the Western District of Michigan, which has also been
A task Food
The task force also criticised FDA’s actions, saying that the agency should have notified the department of Upjohn irregularities in 1992. The company, now known as Pharmacia & Upjohn, says it stands by Halcion, and according to a statement by Ley Smith, executive vice president, the firm has "cooperated with all investigations, inspections, and evaluations of Halcion and of our company, and we will continue to cooperate, willingly and promptly". Halcion is sold in 90 countries, but was banned in the UK in late 1991 after allegations that Upjohn had
investigating Upjohn.
gun
to convert
weapons.
pressure is on new Prime Minister John Howard to deliver. Conservative governments in Australia are made up of a coalition of Liberal and National
Upjohn and
police approval, low-powered selfpump-action shot-
to
access to
arrange-
mounting opposition, much
1616
National parties are founded in the rural community-a stronghold of the anti-gun-regulation lobby. The first concession in the new scheme was an agreement for
parties.
to
place.
new weapons-control law
at
Those have warned of "blood in the streets" before they let their guns be taken away. The Prime Minister has been referred to in the national media as
over
Halcion
submitted 1992
an
incomplete safety data. In FDA advisory committee
concluded that Halcion was safe and effective at recommended doses, but the controversy continued. In late 1992, the FDA’s division of scientific investigations concluded that no further action was warranted. But in April, 1994, an FDA investigator in Detroit filed a report alleging that Upjohn "had engaged in misconduct" regarding Halcion. This led to the formation of the task force. Now the task force says that while the 1994 FDA report did not find any punishable violations, if the inspector had been allowed to investigate further, "additional evidence might have been obtained". Despite evidence that Upjohn may have concealed data, the task force concluded that Halcion is safe and effective when prescribed according to
US labelling. FDA Don McLearn says there
current
spokesman
are "still some lingering questions" that will be addressed at an advisory committee meeting later this year.
Alicia Ault Barnett
"Jackboot Johnny" and
as
the "leader
of a Stalinist totalitarian regime". In New South Wales, the last remaining Labor State in Australia, a May by-election in a rural electorate saw a 14% swing sweep the sitting National Party member from office, despite the tendency of such by-elections to go against the government. The gun lobby claims this result as evidence of its clout. Coinciding with the Melbourne rally, the Sporting Shooters Association president, Ted Drane, and independent West Australian MP, Graeme Campbell (who was expelled from the Labor Party last year) have formed a new political party. The pair said that the new gun laws were an attack on basic freedoms and that opponents must elect their own MPs to protect their rights. In the face of mounting political pressure, Howard remains resolute that the the US situation, whereby politicians have allowed themselves to be intimidated by a too-powerful gun lobby, will not be seen in Australia.
Stephen Cordner, Kathy Ettershank
New Hampshire bans "exclusive" contracts
Health tions
maintenance
operating
organisain
New
Hampshire are now banned from offering exclusive contracts to physicians. Governor Steve Merrill signed a law last month instituting the ban after state legislators and some outside HMOs agreed that exclusive
arrangements
were
quashing competition and inflating health-premium rates. Advocates of the ban point to the example set by Healthsource-one of the dominant HMOs in New Hampshire that uses exclusive contracts. In 1995, the HMO bought the only paediatric practices in two towns. One hospital then had to hire a new paediatrician because most of the physicians had exclusive contracts with Healthsource. Chris Henchey, vice president for operations at Healthsource, says that complaints about exclusive contracts mask the real issue. The barrier to entry for competitors "was really the companies’ unwillingness to invest the hardware or resources in developing their network". 11
70 000 people in the streets of to Parliament House on June 1, to protest about the recent agreement by state and federal governments to ban the possession and sale of military-style weapons. 30 000 gathered the following day to support the new laws. the Obtaining agreement of all the state and territory governments, which was prompted by the mass shooting in Tasmania on March 28, is only the first step in the implementation of the new scheme. Each of the eight state and territory governments
ore marched Melbourne
must now
put the ments
In
legislate
new
into the
farmers, subject to
have
loading
face
.22s and
guns to control feral
animals. Now, the chairman of the government’s ad hoc committee on the
of the new gun laws has indicated that his committee might soften the scheme by
implementation
allowing
owners
their semi-
automatics to single or double shot action
(Thus theyeasily fall into capable of converting them back.) opposed to gun control could hands
Firing squad of
FDA criticised
force appointed by the US and Drug Administration has concluded that Upjohn may have obscured information material to the safety of Halcion (triazolam), and has recommended that the Department of Justice investigate. But because the task force did not "refer" the matter, Upjohn may not face prosecution. The task force, however, continues to report findings to the department and the Attorney for the Western District of Michigan, which has also been
A task Food
The task force also criticised FDA’s actions, saying that the agency should have notified the department of Upjohn irregularities in 1992. The company, now known as Pharmacia & Upjohn, says it stands by Halcion, and according to a statement by Ley Smith, executive vice president, the firm has "cooperated with all investigations, inspections, and evaluations of Halcion and of our company, and we will continue to cooperate, willingly and promptly". Halcion is sold in 90 countries, but was banned in the UK in late 1991 after allegations that Upjohn had
investigating Upjohn.
gun
to convert
weapons.
pressure is on new Prime Minister John Howard to deliver. Conservative governments in Australia are made up of a coalition of Liberal and National
Upjohn and
police approval, low-powered selfpump-action shot-
to
access to
arrange-
mounting opposition, much
1616
National parties are founded in the rural community-a stronghold of the anti-gun-regulation lobby. The first concession in the new scheme was an agreement for
parties.
to
place.
new weapons-control law
at
Those have warned of "blood in the streets" before they let their guns be taken away. The Prime Minister has been referred to in the national media as
over
Halcion
submitted 1992
an
incomplete safety data. In FDA advisory committee
concluded that Halcion was safe and effective at recommended doses, but the controversy continued. In late 1992, the FDA’s division of scientific investigations concluded that no further action was warranted. But in April, 1994, an FDA investigator in Detroit filed a report alleging that Upjohn "had engaged in misconduct" regarding Halcion. This led to the formation of the task force. Now the task force says that while the 1994 FDA report did not find any punishable violations, if the inspector had been allowed to investigate further, "additional evidence might have been obtained". Despite evidence that Upjohn may have concealed data, the task force concluded that Halcion is safe and effective when prescribed according to
US labelling. FDA Don McLearn says there
current
spokesman
are "still some lingering questions" that will be addressed at an advisory committee meeting later this year.
Alicia Ault Barnett
"Jackboot Johnny" and
as
the "leader
of a Stalinist totalitarian regime". In New South Wales, the last remaining Labor State in Australia, a May by-election in a rural electorate saw a 14% swing sweep the sitting National Party member from office, despite the tendency of such by-elections to go against the government. The gun lobby claims this result as evidence of its clout. Coinciding with the Melbourne rally, the Sporting Shooters Association president, Ted Drane, and independent West Australian MP, Graeme Campbell (who was expelled from the Labor Party last year) have formed a new political party. The pair said that the new gun laws were an attack on basic freedoms and that opponents must elect their own MPs to protect their rights. In the face of mounting political pressure, Howard remains resolute that the the US situation, whereby politicians have allowed themselves to be intimidated by a too-powerful gun lobby, will not be seen in Australia.
Stephen Cordner, Kathy Ettershank
New Hampshire bans "exclusive" contracts
Health tions
maintenance
operating
organisain
New
Hampshire are now banned from offering exclusive contracts to physicians. Governor Steve Merrill signed a law last month instituting the ban after state legislators and some outside HMOs agreed that exclusive
arrangements
were
quashing competition and inflating health-premium rates. Advocates of the ban point to the example set by Healthsource-one of the dominant HMOs in New Hampshire that uses exclusive contracts. In 1995, the HMO bought the only paediatric practices in two towns. One hospital then had to hire a new paediatrician because most of the physicians had exclusive contracts with Healthsource. Chris Henchey, vice president for operations at Healthsource, says that complaints about exclusive contracts mask the real issue. The barrier to entry for competitors "was really the companies’ unwillingness to invest the hardware or resources in developing their network". 11