While about half of clinical trial results are published today, the European Union took a step closer to end secrecy over such life-saving data.

Last Friday, Members of the European Parliament reached a promising agreement with the Council. The text would prevent drug manufacturers from considering clinical studies’ outcome commercially confidential once the drug or treatment has been green-lit for the market.

The European Medicines Agency was sued one year ago by two pharmaceutical companies for releasing data on some of their products. Should the compromise be validated, the current secrecy over clinical studies results might come to an end. It would be a first victory for BEUC who is helping the EU’s drug regulatory body in court.

Link to Statement on CT : Consumers to support public access to clinical trials data in Court