GSK statement on University of East Anglia study examining health impacts of anticholinergic medicines for over 65s

Issued: London UK

Research led by the University of East Anglia has been published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society ⁱ examining the long term health impacts of anticholinergic medicines, a wide-ranging group of drugs frequently taken by older people.

GSK was not involved in the research but will study the results to assess any implications for the patient and health professional information that accompanies its medicines and, if necessary, will discuss these with regulators. GSK takes the safe use of all its medicines extremely seriously.

It is important that patients do not stop taking their current medication. Anybody who is concerned about the findings of this research and it implications for the medicines they take should speak to their doctor at the next appropriate opportunity.

All medicines are subjected to a rigorous review of their safety and effectiveness before being made available to appropriate patients.

No medicine is without possible side effects. Health professionals advising patients on treatment options will carefully weigh up any potential risk from a medicine against the benefit that it provides.

GlaxoSmithKline – one of the world’s leading research-based pharmaceutical and healthcare companies – is committed to improving the quality of human life by enabling people to do more, feel better and live longer.  For further information please visit www.gsk.com

Reference

ⁱ Anticholinergic medication use and cognitive impairment in the older population: The Medical Research Council Cognitive Function and Ageing Study (CFAS)’ by C Fox (UEA), K Richardson (University of Cambridge), I Maidment (Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust), G Savva (University of Cambridge), F Matthews (MRC Biostatistics Unit), D Smithard (Kent Community Health NHS Trust), S Coulton (University of Kent), C Katona (University College London), M Boustani (Indiana University), and C Brayne (University of Cambridge) will be published online by the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society on June 24 2011.

GlaxoSmithKline cautionary statement regarding forward-looking statements
Under the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, GSK cautions investors that any forward-looking statements or projections made by GSK, including those made in this announcement, are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. Factors that may affect GSK's operations are described under 'Risk Factors' in the 'Business Review' in the company's Annual Report on Form 20-F for 2010.