Zyprexa

It highlights the sometimes opaque links between the two.

Critics argue the connections can provide covert marketing and risk giving incomplete information to patients and prescribers.

The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry has recently drawn up a new code designed to provide greater scrutiny of drug co-patient organisation links.

Jeremy Mean, senior policy manager at the agency, said: "This complaint raises important issues not only about the importance of accurate information on safe use of medicines but about the relationship between pharmaceutical companies and patient organisations.

"Transparency is key if people are to have confidence in information about medicines.

Clarity about the role of industry in providing such information is a well- established and widely accepted principle.

On this occasion, the practice fell well short of the principle." Eli Lilly said the failure to mention that it had sponsored the leaflet was "an oversight" and it withdrew the leaflet - originally circulated in September 2003 - in May last year as soon as it was contacted by the agency.

The ruling on withdrawal was made public only yesterday.

However, only after recent inquiries by the FT did the company on Tuesday agree with the agency to place a corrective statement on its website and that of Diabetes UK.

It had initiall...

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