Mental health charity Mind has welcomed the government's pledge to increase drug companies' responsibility to pass on clinical trials information.

The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency has said it will take immediate steps to ensure the law is strengthened further, "so that there can be no doubt as to companies' obligations to report safety issues".

It followed a four-year investigation by the agency into whether GlaxoSmithKline had failed to pass on information it had on the safety of anti-depressant Seroxat in under 18s in a timely manner. It concluded there was no realistic prospect of conviction in that case.

Mind chief executive Paul Farmer said: "We need to be sure that the tragedies associated with Seroxat can never happen again."

For the full investigation and supporting documents, visit www.mhra.gov.uk

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