- Email: [email protected]
Dis-association of drug firms
Torture in Israel and the
Occupied Territories
demn these practices. He had been
detained in 1991 by the General Security Services (Shabak) for 40 days, during most of which he had Evidence of Israeli physician complitheir severity and duration. been held incommunicado in a tiny Palestinian dein the torture of cell and subjected to many of the Studies international human city by tainees was described at the two-day rights organisations have revealed that physical discomforts listed above. His international conference held last detainees under interrogation may appeal to the medical profession was month in Tel Aviv and sponsored by have their heads covered with foul- echoed by others at the conference. the Association of Israeli and Palestismelling hoods, be deprived of sleep, : The conference also reviewed the nian Physicians for Human Rightsbe threatened with physical injury 1990 Landau Commission guidelines (AIPPHR) and the Public Committee (including rape and death) or with under which "moderate physical Against Torture in Israel. According torture of members of their families, pressure" is allowed in the interrogto Dr Ruchama Marton, founder of and, in many cases, be severely beaten. ation of detainees. These guidelines AIPPHR, a "Form of Medical FitIn some cases, documented by inter- are accompanied by a secret appendix obtained an Israeli ness", by attorney, national forensic specialists, these that details the psychological and Tamar Peleg, and first revealed in the practices have resulted in death or physical measures permitted. Various newspaper Davar (May 16, 1993), have probably contributed to suicide speakers called on the government to requires that the physician examiningof detainees. Routinely, detainees are publish this appendix. detainees before interrogation indicateforced to sign confessions which are ; According to press reports, on June whether there are any limitations to used in military courts to incriminate 21 (a week after the conference) Dr use of an isolation cell, binding thethem. Human rights specialists in Miriam Zangen, president of the Isprisoner, covering his head and eyes, Israel estimate that since 1988 Israeli raeli Medical Association, informed and subjecting him to prolonged intelligence and military personnel the Prime Minister, Yitzhak Rabin, standing. The form also requires that have subjected at least 5000 Palesti- that the association has told its memthe physician note evidence of physical nians a year to these practices. bers not to fill in the fitness form the act would represent were because Several case-histories injuries "before entering interroga- : tion". Amnesty International and described. One was that of Dr Mam- complicity with torture. Israeli miliB’Tselem, an Israeli human rights douh Al-Aker, a Palestinian urologist, tary sources have denied that the form organisation, deem that the pro- who appealed to the Medical Associa- in question is currently in use. cedures for which detainees have to be tion of Israel to investigate and discicertified fit, and other associated pracpline physicians guilty of complicity in constitute torture because tices, ofthe torture of detainees and to con- Jonathan E Fine 427) is that theof the BPI is likely. members The German pharmaceutical indusspeaking with one voice. Some members are producers oftry’s feeling that it is not well served by innovative drugs, whereas others are its national association is shared by The manufacturers of generic drugs orlarge firms elsewhere with a high level industry’s pharmaceutical association in Germany (Bundesverover-the-counter preparations. Theof research activity. They thus met band der Pharmazeutischen Industrie, former group wanted patients to paythis week in Switzerland to form an more for drugs for milder ailments sointernational organisation to present BPI) might not survive into the next 436 member firms have of the that health insurance companiesthe drug industry’s ideas to other year. too of intention to leave notice their would have enough money to coverinterest groups and to the public. given the end of this the association by year if drug costs for the more disabling and Annette Tuffs it is not reorganised to their liking. life-threatening diseases. This policy The first threats to depart were made was not adopted because, whether big at the end of June by the few big or small, a firm has only one vote, even Prof J-P Allain German firms involved in research, though the contributions to BPI and they were followed by notices finances are based on turnover. Large The appeal hearing in Paris for people from the German branches of the companies have thus suggested that convicted in connection with the French major Swiss, British, and American subgroups within the BPI be allowed HIV-contaminated blood scandal (see Several of smaller the Gerto companies. Lancet 1992; 340: 360) came to an end in speak publicly for themselves. man firms and producers of generic Furthermore, the big firms want to be mid-June. On Tuesday of this week, the drugs have also given in their notice. : able to influence policy decisions in a appellate court’s decision was announced. Recent legislation to limit numbers Prof Jean-Pierre Allain, who currently has way that properly reflects their posiof prescriptions have reduced profits tion in the drug market. : academic and blood transfusion appointments in Cambridge, UK, had his sentence for several firms by more than 20%. "We do not wish for confrontation. of four
Dis-association of drug firms
(see Lancet Feb
And there is no end to this downturn in sight. The large firms see their investment into research for new products fading. One reason why the pharmaceutical industry was ineffective in opposing the health system reform
years’ imprisonment (two suspenconfirmed. He appealed immediately ded) common association", says Dr Walter to the Supreme Court and could have been
13 p
were not
It would still be the best
.
to
have a
Wenninger from Bayer. However, if the BPI does not yield, it faces a mass walkout, which would more than halve the association’s income, so a collapse
released, pending that higher decision. Yet now in jail. Dr Michel Garretta, already serving a prison sentence, had that
he is
confirmed
too.
169
Occupied Territories
demn these practices. He had been
detained in 1991 by the General Security Services (Shabak) for 40 days, during most of which he had Evidence of Israeli physician complitheir severity and duration. been held incommunicado in a tiny Palestinian dein the torture of cell and subjected to many of the Studies international human city by tainees was described at the two-day rights organisations have revealed that physical discomforts listed above. His international conference held last detainees under interrogation may appeal to the medical profession was month in Tel Aviv and sponsored by have their heads covered with foul- echoed by others at the conference. the Association of Israeli and Palestismelling hoods, be deprived of sleep, : The conference also reviewed the nian Physicians for Human Rightsbe threatened with physical injury 1990 Landau Commission guidelines (AIPPHR) and the Public Committee (including rape and death) or with under which "moderate physical Against Torture in Israel. According torture of members of their families, pressure" is allowed in the interrogto Dr Ruchama Marton, founder of and, in many cases, be severely beaten. ation of detainees. These guidelines AIPPHR, a "Form of Medical FitIn some cases, documented by inter- are accompanied by a secret appendix obtained an Israeli ness", by attorney, national forensic specialists, these that details the psychological and Tamar Peleg, and first revealed in the practices have resulted in death or physical measures permitted. Various newspaper Davar (May 16, 1993), have probably contributed to suicide speakers called on the government to requires that the physician examiningof detainees. Routinely, detainees are publish this appendix. detainees before interrogation indicateforced to sign confessions which are ; According to press reports, on June whether there are any limitations to used in military courts to incriminate 21 (a week after the conference) Dr use of an isolation cell, binding thethem. Human rights specialists in Miriam Zangen, president of the Isprisoner, covering his head and eyes, Israel estimate that since 1988 Israeli raeli Medical Association, informed and subjecting him to prolonged intelligence and military personnel the Prime Minister, Yitzhak Rabin, standing. The form also requires that have subjected at least 5000 Palesti- that the association has told its memthe physician note evidence of physical nians a year to these practices. bers not to fill in the fitness form the act would represent were because Several case-histories injuries "before entering interroga- : tion". Amnesty International and described. One was that of Dr Mam- complicity with torture. Israeli miliB’Tselem, an Israeli human rights douh Al-Aker, a Palestinian urologist, tary sources have denied that the form organisation, deem that the pro- who appealed to the Medical Associa- in question is currently in use. cedures for which detainees have to be tion of Israel to investigate and discicertified fit, and other associated pracpline physicians guilty of complicity in constitute torture because tices, ofthe torture of detainees and to con- Jonathan E Fine 427) is that theof the BPI is likely. members The German pharmaceutical indusspeaking with one voice. Some members are producers oftry’s feeling that it is not well served by innovative drugs, whereas others are its national association is shared by The manufacturers of generic drugs orlarge firms elsewhere with a high level industry’s pharmaceutical association in Germany (Bundesverover-the-counter preparations. Theof research activity. They thus met band der Pharmazeutischen Industrie, former group wanted patients to paythis week in Switzerland to form an more for drugs for milder ailments sointernational organisation to present BPI) might not survive into the next 436 member firms have of the that health insurance companiesthe drug industry’s ideas to other year. too of intention to leave notice their would have enough money to coverinterest groups and to the public. given the end of this the association by year if drug costs for the more disabling and Annette Tuffs it is not reorganised to their liking. life-threatening diseases. This policy The first threats to depart were made was not adopted because, whether big at the end of June by the few big or small, a firm has only one vote, even Prof J-P Allain German firms involved in research, though the contributions to BPI and they were followed by notices finances are based on turnover. Large The appeal hearing in Paris for people from the German branches of the companies have thus suggested that convicted in connection with the French major Swiss, British, and American subgroups within the BPI be allowed HIV-contaminated blood scandal (see Several of smaller the Gerto companies. Lancet 1992; 340: 360) came to an end in speak publicly for themselves. man firms and producers of generic Furthermore, the big firms want to be mid-June. On Tuesday of this week, the drugs have also given in their notice. : able to influence policy decisions in a appellate court’s decision was announced. Recent legislation to limit numbers Prof Jean-Pierre Allain, who currently has way that properly reflects their posiof prescriptions have reduced profits tion in the drug market. : academic and blood transfusion appointments in Cambridge, UK, had his sentence for several firms by more than 20%. "We do not wish for confrontation. of four
Dis-association of drug firms
(see Lancet Feb
And there is no end to this downturn in sight. The large firms see their investment into research for new products fading. One reason why the pharmaceutical industry was ineffective in opposing the health system reform
years’ imprisonment (two suspenconfirmed. He appealed immediately ded) common association", says Dr Walter to the Supreme Court and could have been
13 p
were not
It would still be the best
.
to
have a
Wenninger from Bayer. However, if the BPI does not yield, it faces a mass walkout, which would more than halve the association’s income, so a collapse
released, pending that higher decision. Yet now in jail. Dr Michel Garretta, already serving a prison sentence, had that
he is
confirmed
too.
169