Providing Prescription Medicine Information
to Consumers :
Is There a Role for Direct-to-Consumer Promotion?
10 January 2002, Brussels
Health Action International (HAI) Europe and the European Public Health Alliance (EPHA), in co-operation with the Dag Hammarskjöld Foundation, invite you to take part in an international symposium to discuss consumers' need for information about prescription medicines and current Commission proposals to address that need.The meeting will take place on Thursday, 10 January 2002 at the International Trade Union House, 5 Boulevard du Roi Albert II, B-1210 Brussels, starting at 09.30 h. The symposium is co-funded by The Netherlands Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport.
The European Commission has proposed an amendment to Article 88 of the Directive on the Community Code relating to Medicinal Products for Human Use. This proposal will, for a five-year trial period, permit pharmaceutical companies to provide consumers with information on prescription medicines authorised to treat HIV/AIDS, asthma and diabetes.
With such policy initiatives under debate, we believe it is crucial to bring together key stakeholders in Europe and elsewhere to discuss consumers' medicine information needs and the known benefits, risks and costs of direct-to-consumer promotion.
To view the programme please click here. If you would like to participate, please download the registration form (click here) and send it by fax (+31 20 685 5002) or e-mail to the HAI Europe office by 4 January 2002. There is no participation fee for this event.
We hope you will join us for a day of stimulating discussion on this important topic.
On behalf of HAI Europe and the EPHA,
Margaret Ewen
Coordinator, Health Action International Europe