BMJ 1996;312:576 (2 March)

Letters

CSM should rethink its approach for such announcements

EDITOR,--Klim McPherson estimates that in making its announcement when it did rather than waiting until all the relevant studies of third generation oral contraceptives had been published, the Committee on Safety of Medicines saved one life and prevented 80 cases of venous thrombo-embolism.1 Our concern is not with the timing of the announcement in relation to the publication of peer reviewed papers or with the committee members' appraisal of the research evidence but with the manner in which the committee communicated the information to professionals and the public.

The announcement created much public anxiety and put great pressure on primary care services. Professionals working under pressure are less likely to be able to explain difficult concepts such as risk to their patients and more likely to make mistakes. Patients under stress are more likely to make the wrong decisions and less likely to be able to look after themselves. The . . . [Full text of this article]


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