Glaxo Wellcome, the multinational pharmaceuticals firm, has threatened to quit Britain, possibly in favour of Switzerland or the United States, unless Health Secretary Frank Dobson backs down on plans to ban doctors from prescribing Relenza, the anti-flu drug, on the National Health Service (NHS). Glaxo chairman Sir Richard Sykes said in a letter to the government that a decision to ban the use of Relenza would damage the entire British drugs industry. 'This represents a very serious threat to the future of one of the UK's most successful international industries,' he said. A Glaxo spokesman said yesterday that Sir Richard had requested an urgent meeting with the Health Secretary in an attempt to have the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) approve the use of Relenza before the flu season begins. Glaxo is also considering seeking a judicial review to allow doctors to prescribe the anti-flu drug. Relenza is the first drug to be reviewed by NICE, which was set up earlier this year to make recommendations to the government on new drugs and medical devices. It was launched with the aim of giving quicker access to new treatments, but is considered by Glaxo and other drug companies to be a covert way of controlling the NHS budget. Sir Richard also said British patients might be denied new drugs in future as a consequence of the decision by NICE. In his letter, the Glaxo chairman also accused NICE and the Health Secretary of hurting Glaxo's export markets. A spokesman for Glaxo yesterday denied the company had issued threats. 'We've said what we've said. The ban calls into question the suitability of the UK as headquarters for a multinational pharmaceuticals firm,' he said. BRITAIN
