... in confidential communication to UK vaccine committee

In a remarkable response to a Freedom of Information request to the UK Joint Committee on Vaccines and Immunisation by Angus Files the committee have published the following information:

 Section 43 – Commercial interests

The fact that GSK is advocating a gender-neutral program using Cervarix in girls and
Gardasil in boys is confidential and commercially sensitive, and disclosure of GSK’s
position would prejudice the commercial interests of GSK:

If details of GSK’s position on advocating a gender neutral programme were
disclosed in response to the request, it would be accessible to GSK’s competitors,
who would gain insight into GSK’s development plans and strategy with respect to
the market positioning of Cervarix in the UK. In a normal competitive environment,
GSK’s competitors would not have this insight. GSK does not have similar insight
into its competitors’ strategy and development plans, and therefore disclosure of
GSK’s position puts GSK at a competitive disadvantage. This information is therefore exempt from disclosure under Section 43 of the Act.

GSK’s views on the cost effectiveness of a gender-neutral program using Cervarix in
girls and Gardasil in boys is confidential and commercially sensitive, and disclosure
of GSK’s position would prejudice the commercial interests of GSK:
GSK’s comments on the cost effectiveness of a gender neutral programme and the
reduced cost in girls when using Cervarix instead of 4vHPV reveal GSK’s potential
strategy with respect to the market positioning and pricing of its Cervarix product. In
a normal competitive environment, GSK’s competitors would not have this insight.
GSK does not have similar insight into its competitors’ pricing and market positioning strategy, and therefore disclosure of GSK’s position puts GSK at a competitive disadvantage. This information is therefore exempt from disclosure under Section 43 of Act.

Open scientific exchange:
GSK has shared its innovative ideas on a gender neutral program with the JCVI in
the spirit of open and honest scientific dialogue, with the aim of generating
discussion on how to deliver a comprehensive and cost effective protection to the
public. Disclosure of this information would discourage GSK from sharing such
information and innovative ideas with the JCVI freely in the future.

Public interest:
It is in the public interest for a normal competitive environment to be maintained, for
example so that potential suppliers can compete fairly and competitively in a future
public procurement process and the procuring authority can get the best possible
deal for the public purse. It is also in the public interest that open scientific exchange
is maintained, so that GSK and its competitors can share innovative ideas with the
JCVI without fear of their commercially sensitive and confidential information being
disclosed publicly. 

The accompanying heavily redacted letter discloses concerning a recent study (phase III PATRICA)  of the efficacy of Cervarix for women:

The validity of this data has been challenged as it is based on one study only and follow up time was limited to four years

The source of the criticism has been redacted.