But DMcG, it doesn't work like that, mate. Don't want to give clients' secrets away, or turn this into a statistics symposium, but I'd say that a drug company that starts with the wonderful intention of considering every possible drug combination and tests for adverse events for each and every one, using the best testing in the world, has gone arse over tit. No, you rake together all the data you can grab on how the drug's used in the real world and look for adverse events. Then, for each such event, look for predictors, including drug combos. All standard practice as taught to baby epidemiologists once they're allowed solid food.

Your original concern (if I'm right) is whether your refusal to allow your personal data to be used will affect how long term effects are found. I don't think so. My understanding is that all such events, and the circumstances in which they occur, are reported (anonymised) to the pharma company by the general practice or hospital as a matter of course, and as a legal requirement - the only way an individual can stop the data being passed on is by avoiding all health care professionals.

Now I just need to work out how to get to the DMs.