Information concerning adverse reactions to drugs should be disclosed in time to benefit the public, according to an article in Beijing News.

Clindamycin phosphate glucose, an inexpensive antibiotic produced by Anhui Huayuan Worldbest Biology Pharmacy Co and used to treat infections, has reportedly been linked to four deaths and more than 80 cases of severe adverse reactions. The public has cast much attention to this incident. This also urges related departments to investigate the issue. But time and confidence should be given to the drug administrators. Before the authorities' conclusion comes out, we should all be cool-headed towards all rational doubts.

The local drug administrators of Anhui Province, where the drug was produced, have felt much pressure. On the one hand, they have to focus on inspecting and recalling the drugs; on the other hand, they have to deal with the media and worry about the result of an information release.

Last year, also in Anhui Province, local authorities made a timely disclosure of information on the prevalence of encephalities B and a vaccine case in Sixian County, which both aroused much agitation in the country. But finally they were criticized for wrongly disclosing encephalities B information to create confusion and harm social stability. In the vaccine case, while the media hit the vaccine producer and seller, experts concluded that it was only a group psychological event and there was no problem with the vaccine's quality.

Obviously the drug administrators have mixed feelings this time. They only passively released the information about Clindamycin phosphate glucose in August 1, after the media disclosed it. Media criticized them for "trying to cover the truth."

Then it is really risky to disclose information about adverse reaction of drugs. Early release may lead to unnecessary panic and if the final conclusion has nothing to do with drug quality, the drug producers may even require compensation. But late disclosure may cause more suffering if there is really a problem with the drug. Then when is the right time to publicize adverse reactions to drugs? How can those drug administrators open information according to related procedures without worries?

There will be risks sooner or later.

Late disclosure may put the public in danger without any preventive measures, which is worse. And to disclose the information when the situation got severe will undoubtedly cause bigger social instability. This lesson should be learned from the SARS crisis of 2003.

Timely disclosure of information may lead to a certain panic reaction, but this will be temporary. The public will calm down when they see no severe results. And they will rely on the government more after they see the truthful disclosure of information.

Therefore, timely disclosure of information is the major principle of government information release.

The State Council defines in its regulation on emergent public health events that emergency events include those that have caused or may cause harm to public health. If there is a possibility of harm, its information should be reported and disclosed.

And in fact, disclosing the information will not necessarily affect social stability. For example, in this Clindamycin phosphate glucose case, the government has publicized information like the discovered adverse reaction cases, investigation measures, treatment of patients and knowledge on adverse reaction, which finely reduce public worries about it. Communication between the public and government on the basis of mutual trust is the best stabilizer for emergency events.

Related departments should not blame the drug administrators for affecting social stability and the public should trust and co-operate with them. Then the drug administrators will disclose information without worries and thus benefit the public.

(China Daily August 9, 2006)