EASTLEIGH'S BEST KNOWN ADDRESS HELPS DOCTORS FIGHT DRUG SIDE-EFFECTS

12.37.55pm UTC (GMT +0000) Wed 10th Aug 2005

Doctors from all over Britain regularly write to an Eastleigh address with confidential information that can help save lives.

The Bursledon-based Drug Safety Research Unit sends out surveys and receives responses on patients' reactions to drugs. Thousands of general practitioners respond and can then take account of its findings.

Chris Huhne, Eastleigh's MP, last week visited the internationally-renowned local charity, based in the nineteenth century Bursledon Hall overlooking the Hamble, for a briefing on its work and new research to ensure the safety of patients.

Mr Huhne, pictured here with DSRU chief Professor Saad Shakir and development manager Georgina Spragg during the visit, said that the unit played a key role in assuring drug safety.

"The DSRU is a little known but very crucial part of the fight against unwanted side-effects of drugs" said Mr Huhne. He toured the centre, which sends out survey forms to general practitioners about any side-effects of their prescriptions of new drugs. It then processes the results to ensure that any side-effects are picked up and reported back.

"Bursledon Hall may be one of the best-known postal addresses in the area, as the DSRU collects data from doctors the length and breadth of England.

"This is an important back-up to the testing that is undertaken before a drug is introduced to the market, and ensures that any other side-effects are identified and picked up" said Mr Huhne.

Recent studies at the unit, which is a locally-registered charity associated with the University of Portsmouth with a staff of more than 30, have examined the impact of Yasmin, an oral contraceptive, on deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism.

The DSRU, which is independent of the drug companies and the impetus for which came about in part from the terrible experience of thalidomide children, is currently researching Cialis, Levitra, Strattera, Abilify, Lyrica, Yentreve and Cymbalta, Vesicare, Provigil, Protelos and Atrovent.

Mr Huhne was shown how the Unit's work is increasingly being computerised, with survey forms received back from doctors scanned into the computer for processing. "The staff who have to read the forms say that everything that is said about doctors' hand-writing is true" said Mr Huhne. The job will become easier when the NHS is fully computerised and forms will be returned on line.

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