UK is example to Europe on patient information, says industry

pharmafile | November 12, 2008 | News story | Medical Communications ABPI, patients 

British pharma is free to provide necessary and sufficient information to patients about its drugs, and is an example to be copied by the rest of Europe, according to industry leaders.

This gratifying attitude from UK pharma is a marked change from the past, as only six months ago leaders claimed there were unfair limits on its communication with patients.

Dr Richard Barker, director general of the Association of British Pharmaceutical Industry, said that now other European countries should strive for "exactly the freedoms that we have today in the UK".

He said that Britain was a liberal environment, compared to other member states, in which companies can distribute fair information via the internet and other mediums to the public. He added: "And to my knowledge, the sky hasn't fallen [in] in the UK."

His comments have come as the European Commission is set to release new draft legislation on patient information this month, which is overall a topic of huge controversy.

Critics say that if the pharmaceutical industry is given greater freedom to communicate with patients about its medicines, Europe will inch towards a US-style system, where manufacturers can freely advertise their products directly to the public through television and radio to boost profits.

European industry leaders have in the past pressed for greater contact with patients, and then been accused of trying to get this type of advertising through the back door.

Dr Barker added: "There's a lot of scaremongering going on around this subject. [We don't want to bring in direct-to-consumer advertising] by the back door, the front door or the side door."

Chris Brinsmead, president of the ABPI, supported Barker's attitude, and said they were happy with the current situation. Commenting on the new legislation, he said they only wanted to bring the rest of the Europe in line with the UK.

Its recommendations – along with the anticipated draft legislation – could revolutionise the way the European industry communicates with the public, but any shift to current laws will be delayed due to European parliamentary elections taking place in 2009.

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