[Involvement of a public pharmacology laboratory in pharmacokinetic studies]

Pharmacokinetic studies can be performed before or after a drug is marketed. Indeed, extensive use of a new drug can uncover situations that it has not been possible to investigate before market application. Hospital departments of pharmacology are often involved in these complementary studies. They can design the study, initiate it in a clinical investigation centre, measure plasma concentrations, analyse the pharmacokinetic data, and write the report. If the extent of the scientific involvement of public pharmacology laboratories is strictly demarcated, financial support for nonsponsored studies by the pharmaceutical industry is problematical. Indeed, it is difficult to obtain funds to study the concentration-toxicity relationship or a drug-drug interaction for a compound for which the patent has expired. In addition, such studies have an excess cost, mainly because of the expense associated with drug measurements. Also, the medical time devoted to research is not rewarded by institutions. This situation will become more complicated because of the restrictive legislative framework imposed by the European directive.