[e-drug] Patient-'information' by Big Pharma - A threat to public health

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E-DRUG: Patient-'information' by Big Pharma -  A threat to public health
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ISDB press release [International Society of Drug Bulletins; WB]

Verona /Bielefeld 4 May 2007

PATIENT-?INFORMATION? BY BIG PHARMA - A THREAT TO PUBLIC HEALTH

The European Commission is supporting the demand of the pharmaceutical
industry to get direct influence on patients (1,2). It is expected that a
legislative proposal having this effect will be introduced by the Commission
around September 2007. A foretaste of the bad quality be expected gives a
?patient information? on diabetes recently drafted by the Pharmaceutical
Forum with heavy company involvement.

The International Society of Drug Bulletins (ISDB) warns that industry is
not a source of reliable and trustworthy information and that it is a
mistake to confuse advertising with information. In the contrary there is a
need to limit industry influence on patients and prescribers alike. What is
needed is to improve drug use with reliable, independent and comparative
information so that patients and the public can make informed choices (3).

There are only two countries in the world that allow
direct-to-consumer-advertising (DTCA) of prescription drugs: the USA and New
Zealand. In both countries it has been shown that DTCA has detrimental
effects on health. Pharmaceutical companies? messages are focused on
relatively few top sellers, exaggerating effects and concealing risks,
confusing patients and putting pressure on doctors to prescribe drugs they
would not use otherwise. Lack of comparative information in advertising
means people cannot choose among several options. It is only 5 years ago
that the attempt to introduce direct to consumer advertising of prescription
drugs in the European Union was voted down by the parliamentarians with an
overwhelming majority (494 against, 42 in favour). Most of today?s members
of European Parliament (MEPs) are newly elected and know little about these
discussions (4). The new move to introduce DTCA comes disguised as a means
?to improve the quality of information available to the public?. The main
actor behind this move is the Pharmaceutical Forum, a working group without
any democratic legitimacy that consists of two EU commissioners, three EU
parliamentarians, Member State ministers, no less than five pharmaceutical
industry associations, representatives of health professionals and insurers.
Patients are ?represented? by the industry sponsored European Patients?
Forum. Why should one sit together with industry to develop patient
information? Health professionals, consumer and patient groups that are
independent of pharmaceutical companies, health authorities and funding
bodies have not waited for the pharmaceutical companies to take an interest
in patient information. Many quality sources of information are now
available to the public in Europe and worldwide (3). Industry feels very
confident that DTCA or an equivalent will be allowed: marketing companies
already offer seminars how to make best use of this new opportunity to make
more money. Pharmaceutical companies should rather do their homework and
supply properly labeled medicinal products accompanied by improved Patient
Information Leaflets (PILs). The route chosen by the Commission and the
Pharmaceutical Forum goes into the wrong direction. It will further the
indiscriminate use of drugs, increase overall consumption of drugs, will be
detrimental to health (more adverse reactions, more medical errors), and
result in higher health costs. The health products market is not a market
like any other. Patients are not consumers. So, how to increase pharma
companies competitiveness? By making medicines which offer real therapeutic
advantage as defined in the ISDB Declaration on therapeutic advance (5). In
contrast to pseudo-innovations such products do not need big marketing
efforts.

1- Pharmaceutical Forum ?Public consultation on Health-related information
to patients: the diabetes information package, and the quality principles?
(available on http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/phabiocom/).

2- European Commission "Draft report on current practice with regard  to
provision of information to patients on medicinal products, in accordance
with article 88a of Directive 2001/83/EC, as amended by Directive 2004/27/EC
on the community code relating to medicinal products.

3- Joint declaration by HAI Europe, the ISDB, BEUC, the AIM and the
Medicines in Europe Forum ?Relevant information for empowered citizens? 3
October 2006: 9 pages. Website: http://www.isdbweb.org accessed 30 April
2007: 8 pages.

4- To learn more about this ?historical background? read the text ?BigPharma
?s health information: a growing danger in Europe? In Joint position of the
Medicines in Europe Forum, the International Society of Drug Bulletins,
Health Action International Europe ?Health information: A clear division of
roles is needed to protect public health? March 2007. Website:
http://www.isdbweb.org : 2 pages.

5- ISDB Declaration on therapeutic advance in the use of medicines ; Paris
15-16 November 2001. Website: http://www.isdbweb.org : 12 pages.


------------------------
ISDB
Chairwoman
Maria Font
Dialogo sui Farmaci
Verona, Italy

------------------------
Jörg Schaaber MPH
Treasurer
International Society of Drug Bulletins (ISDB)
Pharma-Brief
August-Bebel-Str. 62
33602 Bielefeld
Germany
Tel +49-(0)521-60550
Fax +49-(0)521-63789
pharma-brief@bukopharma.de
www.bukopharma.de