GLAXO FRANCE CHIEF QUITS

Edwin Nathan, president of Glaxo France and of the group's Belgian and Luxembourg companies, has announced his departure from the comp-any which he joined in 1984 at director of marketing. He is being replaced by Christopher Adam, who was president of Glaxo France between 1983 and 1990.

The reasons for Mr Nathan's departure have not been disclosed, but it is understood they are linked to the public stance taken by Glaxo France over government drug pricing policy in recent weeks (Marketletter March 30). Glaxo has been in discussion with the French authorities for a year and a half over agreeing a price for the group's new anti-migraine drug Imigran (sumatriptan).

Mr Nathan tried recently to unblock the situation by going public over the issue. He said in one press interview that different ministers were dragging out the discussion in order to avoid risks before the regional elections. He also pointed out that France was one of the last major countries not to have the anti-migraine drug available.