Healthy Skepticism Library item: 12568

Warning: This library includes all items relevant to health product marketing that we are aware of regardless of quality. Often we do not agree with all or part of the contents.

Publication type: news

MEP says Member States must not "nanny" patients
APM Health Europe 2008 Jan 25
http://www.apmhealtheurope.com/nostory.php?mots=OTC+medicine+producers+should+stop+%27talking+down%27+to+consumers+&numero=10064&ctx=6b4d0ffb3f02a1f58da875d3c9f2e022

Full text:

European member states should stop patronising patients and allow them access to maximum information regarding over-the-counter health products, a leading member of the European parliament told a conference.

Dagmar Roth-Behrendt told the Association of the European Self-Medication Industry in London on Thursday that consumers should have all possible health information available to them, without restrictions from the authorities.

“Member states should stop thinking patients are silly. What they need is for information to be clear and not misleading. I do not think citizens like to be nannied around.”

The German MEP is a lawyer and represents the European parliament at the High Level Pharmaceutical Forum as well as being the parliament’s contact person with the EMEA.

She referred to a number of OTC products to treat coughs and colds presented earlier in a slide show by Dr June Raine, director of the post-licensing division at Britain’s MHRA, as she spoke at the conference of updating leaflets and the increasing roles all stakeholders should play in pharmacovigilance.

Roth-Behrendt talked of the benefits of visual aids and bright colourings on OTC products.

“I believe we need well-informed consumers and consumer choice.”

Roth-Behrendt also told the conference that overall the regulation and laws governing medicines in Europe is “not bad, although there is room for improvement”.