The Daily Express reported that new data on the side effects of statin drugs were recently handed to a European Working Party. An attempt by the Daily Express to access the studies seen by the European regulators has been refused on [u][b]the grounds that it is commercially sensitive to the drug firms. [/u][/b]
Under Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001, the public has a right to acces the documents.While the data may be commercially sensitive to the drug firms, the public interest in having access to the document overrides the protected interest. If the EU Commission refuses to release the documents, we can complain to the EU Ombudsman.