MEP plans to allow patients more access to drug information
A Swedish member of the European parliament, Christofer Fjellner, has acknowledged that he will be challenging many medical professionals in steering draft legislation through the parliament that would allow pharmaceutical companies to give more information to patients about prescription drugs. He said, “It is clear there are big cultural differences in Europe on the relationship between doctors and their patients. I will definitely challenge those who want doctors to retain a monopoly on information. But I will never challenge the doctor-patient relationship.”
He intends to change the thrust of the draft legislation, which was drafted by the European Commission’s industry department but which is now the responsibility of its public health directorate general. When I work with the text I feel it was written for industry. It talks about what companies may be allowed to disseminate. I would prefer that they be obliged to make information available on the principle of a patient’s right to know,” he explained. He insists that careful control of the information that drug companies may be allowed to give to patients will be needed.
BMJ 2010;340:c1368