From Evidence to Theory: Neo-Liberal Corporate Bias as a Framework for Understanding UK Pharmaceuticals Regulation ¿ Response to Alison Edgley

This paper elaborates on Abraham's thesis of 'neo-liberal corporate bias' as an account and explanation of UK medicines regulation. It is argued that Edgley is wrong to represent the thesis as explaining regulatory change solely by reference to the interests of the pharmaceutical industry. On the contrary, it is demonstrated that the theory incorporates the role of the interests of the state, particularly in connection with budgetary savings within the national health-care system. Following on from this, it is shown that, far from disproving the thesis, as Edgley contends, the case of statins switching in the UK is actually entirely predictable from the theory, although not necessarily because Edgley's account of statins switching is correct.