Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - October 2007 - (Page 18) REGULATORY RUNNING HEAD We urge decision-makers in all EU institutions to initiate and support a substantial and modern reform of current information regimes in Europe without delay… legal situation governing information to patients has remained unchanged over the past 15 years, while societal behaviour has evolved and new technologies have emerged and spread. The current legal situation in Europe is no longer equipped to address today’s situation, leading to huge inequalities in terms of availability and accessibility of information among different population groups and among EU member states. information sources based on selfregulatory mechanisms: 1. European citizens expect and deserve a modern and comprehensive EU information strategy that will truly benefit them and help to improve public health. 2. Access for all EU citizens and patients to non-promotional health and medicines information in their language must be improved. 3. Access to high quality medicines information from multiple sources is needed, including from the pharmaceutical industry, respecting the highest quality standards. Information should be judged based on its quality and not on the source providing it. 4. Availability of, and access to, highquality medicines information via the Internet must be enhanced, while recognising the need for nonelectronic tools for parts of the population and for improving access to such tools. 5. Public private partnerships, involving a range of healthcare stakeholders, could be one part of a comprehensive strategy. 6. Legislative reform at EU level is needed, with the primary goal of giving the same opportunities to all EU citizens, taking into account positive experiences gained at individual member state level. 7. Self-regulatory schemes with efficient governance and enforcement procedures would be the most practical and beneficial way forward, provided that an adequate legal system is put in place allowing the provision of high quality information from multiple sources. The pharmaceutical industry in Europe is convinced that such an approach would help ensure that information to patients on prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diseases meets the highest quality standards and provides the greatest benefits to patients. We therefore urge decision-makers in all EU institutions to initiate and support a substantial and modern reform of current information regimes in Europe without further delay — for the benefit of public health in general, and for the benefit of each individual citizen specifically. What does EFPIA want? Against this background, EFPIA calls for a modern and comprehensive community framework for information about health and medicinal products. In our contribution, we set out seven key principles and objectives for reforming current rules on information to patients and suggest that the Commission comes up with a legal reform allowing high quality information to patients from all About the Author Brian Ager is director general of EFPIA, the federation of the national pharmaceutical industry associations of European countries, and companies undertaking research, development and manufacturing of medicinal products in Europe for human use. Prior to this he was for director of EUROPABIO (then called Senior Advisory Group Biotechnology). He has also served with the EC’s Directorate General for Science, Research and Development and as a consultant with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). 18 OCTOBER 2007 PHARMACEUTICAL EXECUTIVE EUROPE
Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - October 2007 Contents The Brand Exchange Focused and Flexible Making A Global Vision Work Leading the Way The OnlineConsumer Wired to the Future Co-ordinate Your Communications In the Public Interest Seek First to Understand Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - October 2007 Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - October 2007 - (Page 1) Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - October 2007 - Contents (Page 2) Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - October 2007 - Contents (Page 3) Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - October 2007 - The Brand Exchange (Page 4) Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - October 2007 - The Brand Exchange (Page 5) Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - October 2007 - Focused and Flexible (Page 6) Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - October 2007 - Focused and Flexible (Page 7) Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - October 2007 - Making A Global Vision Work (Page 8) Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - October 2007 - Making A Global Vision Work (Page 9) Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - October 2007 - Leading the Way (Page 10) Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - October 2007 - Leading the Way (Page 11) Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - October 2007 - The OnlineConsumer (Page 12) Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - October 2007 - The OnlineConsumer (Page 13) Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - October 2007 - Wired to the Future (Page 14) Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - October 2007 - Co-ordinate Your Communications (Page 15) Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - October 2007 - Co-ordinate Your Communications (Page 16) Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - October 2007 - In the Public Interest (Page 17) Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - October 2007 - In the Public Interest (Page 18) Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - October 2007 - Seek First to Understand (Page 19) Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - October 2007 - Seek First to Understand (Page 20)
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