E-drug: DTCA debate heats up in Brussels
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Dear E-Drug Readers,
Patient, consumer and health professional groups rejected the
Commission's proposal to change the rules about promoting
prescription medicines to the public at this week's symposium on
the issue co-organised by HAI Europe and EPHA. This is despite
the fact that DG Enterprise has repeatedly said that patient demand
was the reason behind the changes.
In addition, the Dutch government also spoke out against the
proposal and said there was no need to change current EU law if
the goal was actually to provide more information to the public.
To read more about the event's highlights, see the press release below.
With best wishes,
Lisa Hayes
for HAI Europe
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NEWS FROM HAI-EUROPE AND THE EUROPEAN PUBLIC HEALTH ALLIANCE
PRESS RELEASE
BRUSSELS 11 January 2002
DEBATE OPENS ON DIRECT-TO-CONSUMER DRUG PROMOTION IN EUROPE
Yesterday in Brussels, the opening volleys in a vigorous debate on
prescription drug advertising legislation were fired. Health Action
International (HAI) Europe and the European Public Health Alliance
(EPHA) hosted a one-day international symposium to discuss a
proposed change to EU legislation to allow drug companies to
advertise AIDS, asthma, and diabetes medications to the public.
The conference concluded that the EU does not need to relax its
current advertising laws to provide quality drug information to
consumers.
Consumer advocates and public health officials attending expressed
concern that the likely outcome of this proposal will be a US-style
spiral of unsustainable health care spending and contribute to the
unsafe or unnecessary use of drugs in Europe. Attendees
expressed concern that this proposal moves Europe in the direction
of American-style Direct-to-Consumer Advertising (DTCA) of
pharmaceuticals which is currently illegal in Europe for public health
reasons.
"Drug advertising is a grave threat to public safety," said Barbara
Mintzes, from the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, and a
leading expert on DTCA. "With nearly 20 years experience of drug
advertising in the US there's no evidence that it improves patient
health. The only benefits are found in the profits of drug companies.
Pretty much everyone else, patients, and public health systems,
loses".
Governments also expressed reservations about the proposed
change. Mr. L�on Wever, Director of Pharmaceutical Affairs with
the Dutch Health Ministry emphasised that the proposed law was
unclear. "If it is about information, not advertising, then there is no
need to change the law." When asked, he said that the Dutch
government would vote against this proposed change and
confirmed that his government is exposed to daily pressure from the
pharmaceutical industry in the Netherlands to relax the advertising
prohibitions.
HAI and EPHA concluded the conference by dismissing the
European Commission's proposal and called instead for the
Commission to be explicit about what the driving force is behind this
proposal and to work to strengthen, not liberalise, the laws that
protect the public and health professionals from biased commercial
drug information. Representatives of government, patient groups,
health advocates, health professionals and the pharmaceutical
industry attending this conference all agreed that consumers need
better access to quality, objective consumer drug information but
many questioned whether the pharmaceutical industry is the ideal
vehicle to provide such information.
A seminar report based on this event will be published shortly by
HAI-Europe. To arrange a press interview or order this publication
contact:
(In the weekend) Lisa Hayes for HAI Europe at +31-20-668-2410
(Starting Monday) HAI Europe at 31-20-683-3684 or
hai@hai.antenna.nl or
The European Public Health Alliance at +32-2-230-3056 or
epha@epha.org
HAI-Europe
Jacob van Lennepkade 334-T
1053 NJ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
e-mail: hai@hai.antenna.nl
tel: ++31.(0)20.6833684
fax: ++31.(0)20.6855002
website: http://www.haiweb.org
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