Consumers fight to halt move towards direct to consumer advertising in Europe

doi:10.1136/bmj.39212.645486.DB

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Ray Moynihan

Byron Bay

An international alliance of consumer and other groups has attacked the European Commission, accusing it of supporting the drug industry's push for direct to consumer advertising in Europe.

US-style advertising of prescription drugs aimed directly at consumers is currently prohibited in Europe, and attempts to overturn the ban were firmly rejected by the European parliament in 2002 (BMJ 2002;325:990 doi: 10.1136/bmj.325.7371.990/a).

However, the drug industry and elements within the European Commission are pushing to change the rules so that drug companies can provide more information to patients across Europe, a move that critics argue is an underhand way of introducing advertising.

Taking a position in support of loosening the rules, a European Commission draft report that is currently out …