The Informed Patient: What The European Union Has To Do

Main Category: Pharma Industry / Biotech Industry
Article Date: 07 Dec 2007 - 2:00 PDT

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The three representatives of the European Parliament in the EU High Level Pharmaceutical Forum, Francoise Grossetete, Dagmar Roth-Behrendt and Jorgo Chatzimarkakis, hosted a conference entitled The informed patient - What the European Union has to do at the European Parliament in Brussels.

A wide range of European stakeholders discussed concrete ways to reduce the current inequalities among different population groups and EU Member States in accessing high-quality information throughout the "patient journey" (prevention, early diagnosis, treatment and compliance).

At the conference, AESGP Director General Hubertus Cranz called for an adequate interpretation of the current legislative provisions with regard to the labelling of medicinal products. This should allow the addition of non-promotional information on the package so that companies would for instance be allowed to mention a website address which may provide valuable additional information in relation to a particular condition. Smoking cessation was a concrete example where this would be useful, said Cranz.

Cranz also drew particular attention to the important role of health professionals in providing information on non-prescription medicines and the need to improve curricula and training programmes for medical doctors and pharmacists so that their support potential for European citizens is fully developed.

The European Commission is expected to adopt its report on current practices with regard to the provision of information to patients on medicinal products before the end of 2007 and to put forward a proposal for legislative change in this area in the fourth quarter of 2008.

Background:

The Association of the European Self-Medication Industry (AESGP) represents the manufacturers of non-prescription medicinal products in Europe.

Association of the European Self-Medication Industry