E-drug: Direct to consumer promotion and the EU
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Dear E-Drug List Readers,
The topic of direct-to-consumer promotion has become a hot issue
in the European Union. The Commission's current proposal would
allow drug companies to provide "information" to patients with
specific health conditions. While the measure is currently limited in
scope, it may become much broader in the months and years
ahead. This move by the Commission raises serious concerns
about the possible consequences for public health and of course, on
costs. HAI Europe has monitored drug promotion in its many forms
for years. It is now co-organising a symposium on this topic that
may be of interest to you.
Below you will find a copy of the invitation to the meeting. For more
information, please contact HAI Europe at e-mail:
hai@hai.antenna.nl.
To read more about the direct-to-consumer promotion issue, see
HAI Europe's recent article in HAI Lights at:
http://www.haiweb.org/pubs/hailights/aug2001/index.html.
With best wishes,
Lisa Hayes
for HAI Europe
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INVITATION
HAI Europe/EPHA Symposium on
Providing Prescription Medicine Information to Consumers :
Is There a Role for Direct-to-Consumer Promotion?
10 January 2002
Brussels
Health Action International (HAI) Europe and the European Public
Health Alliance (EPHA) are holding an international symposium to
discuss consumers' need for information about prescription
medicines and current Commission proposals to address that need.
All are welcome to attend.
The meeting will take place on Thursday, 10 January 2002 at the
International Trade Union House, 5 Boulevard du Roi Albert II,
B-1210 Brussels, starting at 09.30 h. The symposium is co-funded
by the Dag Hammarskj�ld Foundation and The Netherlands Ministry
of Health, Welfare and Sport.
The European Commission has proposed an amendment to
Article 88 of the Directive on the Community Code relating to
Medicinal Products for Human Use. This proposal will, for a five-
year trial period, permit pharmaceutical companies to provide
consumers with information on prescription medicines authorised to
treat HIV/AIDS, asthma and diabetes.
With such policy initiatives under debate, we believe it is crucial to
Bring together key stakeholders in Europe and elsewhere to discuss
consumers' medicine information needs and the known benefits,
risks and costs of direct-to-consumer promotion.
The symposium's invited speakers include:
* EU Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection David
Byrne to discuss the possible public health impact of the proposed
changes to Article 88
* A representative from the Commission's DG Enterprise to outline
the rationale of the proposal
* Representatives from consumer and patient groups to highlight
their prescription medicine information needs
* A representative from the research-based pharmaceutical industry
to share its view on perceived benefits of direct-to-consumer
promotion of prescription medicines and self-regulation
* European health insurers to discuss the impact of drug promotion
to consumers on medicine costs and sustainability
* The Netherlands' Ministry of Health to discuss national
perspectives on drug promotion
* The World Health Organization to highlight the global impact of
direct-to-consumer promotion of prescription medicines
For more information, to register or to receive a copy of the
programme, please contact HAI Europe (+31-20) 683 3684 or
via e-mail at hai@hai.antenna.nl. Registration forms must be received by 17
December 2001.
There is no participation fee for this event. We hope you will join us
for a day of stimulating discussion on this important topic.
On behalf of HAI Europe and the EPHA,
Yours sincerely,
Margaret Ewen
Coordinator, Health Action International Europe
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