Joint press release by 29 organisations
Brussels, 15 March 2010

Summary:
Earlier this year, during his hearing at the European Parliament, the new Commissioner for Health and Consumer protection, John Dalli, stated that the proposals on patient "information" needed to be reassessed. We welcome this commitment. As of middle of March 2010, the legislative process is ongoing at the European Parliament, generating uncertainties.

The current Commission proposals do not meet the needs of citizens for relevant, independent and comparative health information tailored to users.

The following 5 key points encapsulate our proposals:

• Make the officially approved leaflet more useful and accessible for patients
• Optimise communication between patients and health professionals
• Encourage national agencies to become proactive and more transparent providers of information
• Develop and reinforce existing sources of comparative, unbiased information on treatment choices
• Put a rapid and permanent end to the confusion of roles between the pharmaceutical companies and other actors in the healthcare sector

We urge the Commissioner for Health and Consumer protection to start the reassessment of the current legislative proposals on patient "information" now, and to take into account our concrete proposals in order to ensure a better basis for the improved provision of relevant, independent and comparative information to patients.

> Click here to download the Joint Press Release in full

Signed:

AGE Platform Europe
AkdÄ (Arzneimittelkommission der deutschen Ärzteschaft)
Association Internationale de la Mutualité (AIM)
AKF (Arbeitskreis Frauengesundheit)
BAGP (BundesArbeitsGemeinschaft der PatientInnenstellen und Initiativen)
BC Action Germany
Bioskop
Bremen Forum for Women´s Health
Confederation of Family Organisations in the European Union (COFACE)
DEGAM (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Allgemeinmedizin und Familienmedizin)
European AIDS Treatment Group (EATG)
European Forum of Primary Care (EFPC)
European Public Health Alliance (EPHA)
European Social Insurance Platform (ESIP)
European Union of Social Pharmacies (EUSP)
Formindep
Health Action International (HAI) Europe
IPPNW (Germany- Physicians for Social Responsibility)
HOPE, the European Hospital and Healthcare Federation
International Society of Drug Bulletins (ISDB)
Medicines in Europe Forum (MiEF)
MEZIS
Netzwerk Frauen Gesundheit Berlin
PSOAG (Psoriasis Selbsthilfe Arbeitsgemeinschaft)
Seroxat & SSRI user group
USPO (Union des Syndicats de Pharmaciens d’Officine)
VDÄÄ (Verein demokratischer Ärztinnen und Ärzte)
VDPP (Verein demokratischer Pharmazeuten und Pharmazeutinnen)

©Prescrire March 2010