HAI EUROPE

New Report Defines the Debate on Consumer Drug Advertising in Europe

Amsterdam, 9 April, 2002

Today Health Action International (HAI) Europe launched a report that defines the debate in Europe over the direction of Direct-to-Consumer Advertising (DTCA) of prescription medicines. Advertising prescription drugs directly to consumers is only legal in the US and New Zealand, yet recent proposed changes to EU law may make the practice legal in Europe. A symposium report released today defines the public health issues relating to consumer drug advertising and recommends that the EU reject any legislation that will weaken the current ban.

The report describes the issues raised by consumer and patient groups, government regulators and industry representatives who attended a January 2002 symposium in Brussels. Participants were responding to proposed changes to article 88 of Directive 2001/83/EC which would likely allow two forms of advertising previously banned on public health grounds: advertising of prescription-only drugs to the public for HIV/AIDS, diabetes and asthma, and advertising of treatments for some serious diseases.

Consumer advocates and public health experts at the meeting expressed concerns over the public health consequences of pharmaceutical advertising, particularly noting that the US experience with drug advertising has contributed to a rising spiral of drug costs and may induce greater inappropriate drug use. The European Commission has stated that this change is necessary to allow the pharmaceutical industry to "provide information to the public" but notes that it will be limited to three disease areas for a trial period.

This symposium report comes on the heels of a British Medical Journal; study published in February which found that direct-to-consumer advertising leads to an increase in sales of advertised products at the expense of prescribing appropriateness.

"Patients respond to ads by asking for a drug they may not need, and the doctor may end up prescribing a drug even if it isn’t in the best interests of that patient," said Ms. Barbara Mintzes, from the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, who headed the study and was one of the keynote speakers at the January symposium.

Today’s report arrives at the same time that the proposal to change Article 88 is currently being discussed by members of the European Parliament and Council of Ministers.

To obtain a copy of the report visit the HAI website at: http://www.haiweb.org/campaign/DTCA/symposium_reports.html