The Sun Journal’s Aug. 13 editorial may leave readers with the wrong impression that, somehow, America’s pharmaceutical research companies are responsible for the alleged sharing of information between a handful of doctors leading clinical trials for new medicines and hedge fund managers looking to profit from early progress reports on those trials. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Clearly, doctors play an important role in the nearly 15 years of clinical trials needed to approve a new medicine. In order to do so, they must sign confidentiality agreements with pharmaceutical research companies so that no information on the progress of any ongoing clinical trial is released to outside parties.

The Seattle Times story on whether some physicians are leaking or selling confidential information in violation of securities law raises disturbing questions that should be addressed. If a doctor breaks securities laws or his or her confidentiality agreement with a pharmaceutical research company to gain financially, they should be severely punished. Our laws are meant to protect patients, future research and the public. Breaking these laws is a reprehensible breach of trust and we condemn it.

Billy Tauzin, president and CEO, Pharmaceutical Research and

Manufacturers of America,

Washington, D.C.

Copy the Story Link