6 MARCH 1953, Page 16

Is it not, however, time for an enquiry into the

root cause of the disproportionately high cost of almost the whole range of pharma- ceutical products ? Am I not right in believing that systematic spread of financial control of production and marketing in this field—by the device of interlocking and holding companies—has long since removed genuine competition among many ostensibly rival concerns ?

I believe it to be beyond question that such articles as tooth-paste and a whole host of toilet requisites are selling at retail prices which are 'quite unnecessarily high, and it would give me great pleasure to

be proved wrong.—Yours faithfully, T. R. JONES. Parliament Mansions, Abbey Orchard Street, Victoria Street, S.W.1.

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