News in brief

Kraft Foods wants the US government to ensure that genetically modified crops being grown to make pharmaceuticals are segregated from the food supply chain. The food industry giant said if the federal government refuses to outlaw pharmaceutical crops, it wants there to be 'every regulation possible' to avoid commingling of species. Current regulations call for a half-mile separation.

The European Commission has released detailed information about pharmaceutical industry mutual recognition agreements struck between the EU and the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

These trade-enabling regulations are available on line (first four web addresses below.

Romano Prodi, the president of the EC, has made an unusual direct appeal to the US government to compromise in the ongoing World Trade Organisation (WTO) negotiations over granting developing countries access to cheap generic drugs. Speaking to business leaders, non-governmental organisations and politicians in Brussels, Prodi asked Washington for a 'positive signal' to help break the deadlock in negotiations. He called on the US to accept reforms to the global pharmaceutical market that would orientate it 'in a more socially responsible direction'. WTO diplomats have been struggling to move the US government from a position limiting the scope of allowable generic medicines.

The EC has released detailed guidance on using the EU database on suspected, unexpected, serious and adverse reactions to medicines in clinical trials; on the collection, verification and presentation of reports on such events; and on using the general EU clinical trials database EUDRACT.

They are available online. See last three web address below.