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<p>Since publication of the report of the Commission on Human Medicines Expert Working
Group on Hormone Pregnancy Tests (HPTs) the Government has committed to review any
important new evidence that arises. In response to publication of the study by Heneghan
et al. the Commission on Human Medicines convened an Expert Group to advise on the
suitability and robustness of the methodology (including the selection and application
of the data quality score) and any clinical implications.</p><p> </p><p>To ensure
impartiality none of the members of the Group was involved in the previous review
by the Expert Working Group on HPTs. A specific conflict of interest policy was developed
and all participants were required to complete and sign a declaration of interests
form. Participants were asked to declare personal or non-personal interests in the
companies who marketed HPTs or whose predecessors marketed them, current or previous
involvement in any studies or reviews on HPTs, the expression in public of a strong
opinion about HPTs or any of the companies that produced them, and direct or indirect
involvement with, or peer review of, the publication by Heneghan et al. The conflict
of interest policy and declarations of participants will be made public in due course.</p><p>
</p><p>For complete transparency the meeting was observed by the Chair of the Association
for Children Damaged by HPTs, an advocate for those affected by thalidomide, a Lay
representative and a representative from the Independent Medicines and Medical Devices
Safety Review.</p><p> </p><p>In parallel, the European Medicines Agency is conducting
an independent review of the publication by Heneghan et al. Both reviews are ongoing,
and we expect the conclusions to be made public within a month of their completion,
likely to be May 2019.</p><p> </p>
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