AN EDITORIAL recently suggested that an open register of research be set up in which drug companies would be legally obliged to post details of all their clinical trials, including those that did not go to plan (New Scientist, 11 December 2004, p 3). “If all companies had to do this, there would be no commercial disadvantage. And the rest of us would be better off knowing the whole truth about the drugs we take,” the editorial said. Finding this a persuasive idea, I raised the suggestion with health ministers.
Lord Warner, who speaks for the Department of Health…
