Novartis extends clinical trial data transparency

Swiss drug major Novartis (NOVN: VX) says it has taken additional steps to extend its leadership in clinical trial data transparency, noting that researchers can now request access to patient level data on newly-approved innovative medicines in the USA and European Union in 2014.

Since 2005, and before requirements were in place, Novartis has been voluntarily disclosing summaries of clinical study reports of its innovative medicines on its own web site ( http://www.novctrd.com). In addition, the company is committed to enhancing clinical study report summaries for all new pivotal studies to include easy to understand consumer language summaries and additional interpretation of data as of the end of 2014.

Novartis says it has long supported data transparency and was the first company to publish positive and negative study results of its innovative medicines within one year of the study completion further enabling clinical research while protecting patient privacy.