11/24/2007

Nigeria Takes On Pfizer over Controversial Drug Test

Letter to the Editor

"Nigeria Takes On Pfizer over Controversial Drug Test” presents an inaccurate, one-sided, and inflammatory picture of Pfizer's 1996 Trovan clinical trial, which helped to save lives under challenging circumstances, in the midst of a devastating meningitis epidemic. This story does little more than restate the unsubstantiated allegations of plaintiffs in a lawsuit.

Here are the facts: the Trovan clinical trial was conducted with the approval of the Nigerian government, consent of the participants' parents or guardians, and consistent with the laws of Nigeria. Trovan's survival rate of 94.4% was at least as good as the best treatment available in Kano in 1996.

It is tragic anytime children suffer long term effects or die from a disease like meningitis, which is often treatable. The 1996 epidemic was especially harsh, reportedly affecting 110,000 people and taking 12,000 lives across Nigeria. But the results from the Trovan clinical trial demonstrated that the drug saved lives - as Pfizer intended -- and there is no evidence linking the medical conditions of survivors to the treatment they received.

The Trovan lawsuits in Nigeria have not been argued yet, but DER SPIEGEL aleady appears to have reached his own inappropriate verdict.

Sincerely,

Dr. Jack Watters

Vice President, External Medical Affairs International

Pfizer Inc.

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