Digital Pharma: The MHRA is a late guest at the information party
pharmafile | February 12, 2010 | Feature | Medical Communications | MHRA, information, patient information
The MHRA is considering putting its database of patient information leaflets (PILs) and Summaries of Product Characteristics (SPCs) online and seeking views about such a move.
It’s an interesting move from the regulator, which is to be applauded for its plans to make accurate information about medicines more widely available to the public, but the MHRA is coming rather late to the party here.
A lot of this kind of information has been available to the public for more than a decade on the Medicines Commendium website, which uses PILs and SPCs provided by pharma companies in their MHRA or EMA approved form.
The site has been online since 1999 and is run by commercial firm Datapharm Communications, which estimates 10 million of its documents were viewed last year.
Similar information is also available from the British National Formulary, the reference book for UK healthcare professionals, and this has been online for ten years and is also available for anyone to view after a short, free registration.
So it must be hoped that the MHRA’s plans will see it go further or provide something that is not already catered for online.
To find out if such a move is desirable, the UK regulator has commissioned an online discussion site asking healthcare professionals and the general public whether key information about medicines should be available online.
This consultation will run to 8 March and is also seeking opinions on what such a site should look like.
The MHRA’s pharma website
Meanwhile, the MHRA has expanded its website to add in a new section especially for the pharmaceutical industry.
Positioned as a one-stop resource for pharma, it links to information on topics such as legislation, clinical trials, post-marketing authorisation approval, inspections and MHRA fees.
The regulator is keen for feedback or suggestions on how to improve the section, and these can be emailed to webupdates@mhra.gsi.gov.uk.
Dominic Tyer is web editor for Pharmafocus and InPharm.com and the author of the Digital Pharma blog. He can be contacted via email, Twitter or LinkedIn.
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