Rapid Responses to:
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Rapid Responses: Rapid Responses published:
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Sickness for sale - and a direct link
- Lindy Williams (22 June 2007)
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(EC report on drug advertising found to be “biased”, June 23)
- Dr Richard W Barker (26 June 2007)
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Informing patients instead of advertising
- Augusto Pimazoni (26 June 2007)
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EU Pharmaceutical Forum Lacks Credibility
- Jim Murray, 1040 Bruxelles, Belgium (27 June 2007)
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Lindy Williams, Freelance researcher BD23 4QH
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I was pleased to read Ray Moynihan's article on the severe limitations of the European Commission's consultation over drug advertising. The proposals and draft report are, as usual, under the aegis of the Directorate General for Enterprise and Industry. This not only shows where the priorites lie, but also makes finding the draft report on the europa website quite time-consuming. Readers may find it helpful to use this direct link: http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/pharmaceuticals/index_en.htm If the proposed changes were to be implemented they would have dramatic and damaging effects on our health services. The ensuing promotion of drugs and their indications, however subtle, would change our perceptions of health and sickness, and this would in turn lead to increased social divisions in medical care. I urge anyone responding to the draft report to request that the proposals be looked at also by a health committee rather than being left to purely commercial considerations. Competing interests: None declared |
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Dr Richard W Barker, Director General ABPI SW1A 2DY
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The pharmaceutical industry is not seeking the freedom to advertise or promote its medicines to European consumers, as has been made clear many, many times (EC report on drug advertising found to be “biased”, June 23). Industry supports patients’ rights to have access to as many information providers as they want to obtain information about their conditions and the treatment available. It simply seeks to be allowed to provide objective, unbiased information itself, as it has done in both the UK and Sweden for some time. Competing interests: None declared |
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Augusto Pimazoni, Managing Director, MED MARK Medical Marketing Consultants Sao Paulo, Brazil
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Direct-to-Consumer Advertising (DTCA) for prescription medicines has merits and drawbacks just like any other medical marketing strategies directed to health care products and services. It is undisputable that frequent abuses are carried out by pharmaceutical industry when they produce their DTCA materials and ads as if they were selling shampoos. The number one merit of DTCA and also of internet for that matter is providing the patient with updated information on new therapeutic options for him to bring the subject to his/her assisting physician so that both patient and doctor can freely discuss and find a consensus on the best therapeutic option for each particular case. After all, patient's choice in an integral part of the whole concept of evidence based medicine, together with the doctor's own experience and the bulk of available evidence. On the other hand, to advertise pharmaceutical products making use of consumer marketing strategies and other smart and effective promotional gimmicks is definitely an abuse, if not a crime. To adequately inform patients without submitting him/her to the convincing appeals of sophisticated promotional tools would be an ethical and totally acceptable educational resource. I would like to hear from my colleagues what do they think about a system that would allow public advertising of medicinal products, as long as they are presented as an information only ad or pamphlet, illustrated only with a photo of the product and with an editorial content in lay words that should cover all relevant information of the product, mainly those related to safety issues of all levels. In other words, this would be a "lay version" of the product insert that could reach the target of educating patients without the undue influence of promotional tricks. Until proven otherwise, I am convinced that this proposal should at least be tested as a wider range option to DTCA by countries where this activity is prohibited. AUGUSTO PIMAZONI, MD E-mail: pimazoni@uol.com.br Medical Marketing Consultant - Sao Paulo, Brazil. Competing interests: Medical Marketing Consultant for the Health Care Industry |
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Jim Murray, Director avenue de Tervuren 36, bte4, 1040 Bruxelles, Belgium
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BEUC the European Consumers Organisation (representing 39 independent national consumer organsiations from 30 European countries) shares the authors' concerns about the EU Pharmaceutical Forum and the report on information to patients. In our view, the Forum and the outcome of the Forum's work does not provide a proper or firm basis for decisions on public policy. On 26th June we wrote to Commissioners Verheugen and Kyprianou setting out in detail our objections to the composition, methods of working and consultation procedures of the Forum. We have posted a copy of that letter on our website http://www.beuc.eu Jim Murray
Competing interests: None declared |
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