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Advancing healthcare policy

Advancing healthcare policy in Europe: a chronological recap of actions

Advancing healthcare policy

Chronological recap of actions
Actions presented by theme

A recap of actions in 2008-2010

Working together with other organisations, Prescrire's policy advocacy is a source of constructive proposals, counterbalancing the influence of purely commercial interests.

Final proposals on pharmacovigilance: Some progress, but a missed opportunity to genuinely strengthen patient safety (December 2010)

If the safety of European patients is to be genuinely reinforced, the European Commission’s priorities must be to improve the quality of the evaluation of medicines before they are granted marketing authorisation and to increase the independence of drug regulatory authorities, to enable them to better fulfil their public health remit, particularly when evaluating and reviewing the harm-benefit balance of medicines. Read on...
Towards direct-to-consumer advertising for prescription drugs?
The autumn will be crucial (continued) (November 2010)

The European Commission's original proposals, though improved by the Members of the European Parliament, are still of little benefit and some provisions are even detrimental. Read on...
Towards direct-to-consumer advertising of prescription drugs in Europe? Upholding patients' rights to reliable information (July 2010)

In a joint briefing paper, the Medicines in Europe Forum, Health Action International (HAI) Europe and the International Society of Drug Bulletins (ISDB) urge MEPs to vote for amendments aimed at enhancing patients' access to non-promotional, independent and comparative information. The strict ban on direct-to-consumer advertising must also be upheld. Read on...
EMA's policy on conflict of interest: improvements needed (June 2010)

In an open letter, ISDB and Medicines in Europe Forum (MiEF) draw the attention of the European Medicines Agency (EMA)’s executive manager to the need for the EMA to better implement its own basic rules on conflict of interest notably at the management board level. They also share more general comments on the need for the EMA to strengthen its policy on the conflict of interest of experts working with the Agency. Read on...
The European Medicines Agency Road Map to 2015: Independence should be the priority (Joint Contribution to EMA Consultation, April 2010)

HAI Europe, ISDB and the Medicines in Europe Forum have jointly answered the EMA's public consultation on its road map to 2015. They decry a number of practices that create conflicts of interest, and argue that the Agency’s financial and intellectual independence from pharmaceutical companies should be the priority if the EMA is to improve its accountability to citizens. Read on...
Direct-to-consumer communication by pharmaceutical companies? Europeans deserve better (March 2010)

The current Commission proposals do not meet the needs of citizens for relevant, independent and comparative health information tailored to users. Read on...
European Commission places medicines under the DG-SANCO’s competence: an opportunity to put public health first (December 2009)

The International Society of Drug Bulletins (ISDB) and the Medicines in Europe Forum (MiEF) would like to thank the President of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso, for his decision to transfer the management of pharmaceuticals and medical devices policies from the Directorate General-Enterprise (DG-E) to the DG-SANCO (Health and Consumer Policy). Read on...
Pharmacovigilance in Europe: the European Commission’s proposals endanger the population (October 2009)

In this Joint Analysis, the Medicines in Europe Forum and International Society of Drug Bulletins examine the European Commission proposals and make 15 concrete recommendations for improvement. Among the key issues of concern: the spread of weak marketing authorisation practices; the withholding of adverse drug reactions data, the collection and interpretation of which are abandoned to pharmaceutical companies; the increased financial and intellectual dependency of health authorities on pharmaceutical companies. Read on...
Future Commission: need for change in health goods governance (October 2009)

In a joint open letter to European Commission President José Manuel Barroso, the Medicines in Europe Forum and International Society of Drug Bulletins argue that EU pharmaceutical and medical device policies and regulations should be under the competence of Health and Consumer protection’s Commissioners. Read on...
EMEA transparency policy falls short: a weak and irresponsible project Joint Answer to EMEA Consultation, (September 2009)

In their anwer to European Medicines Agency (EMEA)'s public consultation, Prescrire and its allies find EMEA's draft transparency policy to be weak and irresponsible. They call for EMEA's full accountability to the public. Real transparency is an indispensable prerequisite to restore EU citizens’ confidence in EMEA’s decisions. Read on...
EU Commission's proposals on pharmacovigilance dismantle the entire system (June 2009)

In December 2008, the European Commission published a proposed Regulation and Directive concerning pharmacovigilance. In spite of recent public health disasters, several of the proposed measures will weaken rather than strengthen the European pharmacovigilance system. Read on...
Legal proposals on "information" to patients by pharmaceutical companies: a threat to public health (March 2009)

This Joint Briefing Paper argues that the European Commission’s proposals represent additional bureaucracy and increased cost, while putting patients at risk. These proposals need to be withdrawn. Read on...
Pharmaceutical package: a short-sighted vision that puts patients at risk (March 2009)

On December 10th 2008, the European Commission adopted one communication and three legislative proposals concerning medicines (the so-called “pharmaceutical package”). A thorough analysis of its content reveals that the EU Commission is upholding the competitiveness of Europe’s pharmaceutical industry thus overriding public interests. Our concrete proposals show another way forward. Read on...
Joint open letter by 18 organisations on the "Pharmaceutical Package" (November 2008)

In an open letter to the European Commission President, the Medicines in Europe Forum and its many partners voice their concerns over the so-called "Pharmaceutical Package". Read on...
Recast of the European Medical Devices Directives (July 2008)

An opportunity to reinforce patient safety. _ Response to the public consultation on the recast of the Medical Devices Directives (1); deadline 2 July 2008. Read on...
"Patient information" by pharmaceutical companies comes up against almost unanimous opposition from civil society (June 2008)

Joint open letter from 18 organisations to the Health Ministers of the Member States and to the Permanent Representatives of the Member States. Read on...
Pharmacovigilance: overwhelming opposition to the EU Commission's proposals (May 2008)

The European Commission must change its strategy if it is to strengthen pharmacovigilance in Europe. Read on...
Time to act for Patient Safety in Europe (May 2008)

Answer to the open consultation “Patient safety”; deadline : 20 May 2008. Read on...
The European Commission's "proposal on information to patients" will boost drug sales not serve patients' interests (April 2008)

Response to the consultation on the legal proposal on information to patients (1); deadline: 7 April 2008. Read on...
New European pharmacovigilance legislation: getting it right (February 2008)

Response to the European Commission’s public consultation on legislative proposals for pharmacovigilance (deadline 1st February 2008) (1). Read on...

2025 Recap
- Errors related to brand names: the EMA can still do more (march 2025)
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2014 Recap
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2012 Recap
2011 Recap
2008-2010 Recap
2005-2007 Recap
The 2002-2004 campaign

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