[e-drug] European Parliament rejects DTCA

[info@haiweb.org]

E-DRUG: European Parliament rejects DTCA
---------------------------------------------------
[The European Parliament has rejected a proposal to liberate direct to
consumer advertising (DTCA).
This despite strong lobbies by the pharmaceutical industry. Well done, HAI!
WB]

European Parliament soundly rejects move towards direct-to-consumer
advertising
HAI Europe applauds Parliament's decision to protect public health, not
industry's interests

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

24 October 2002, Amsterdam

By an overwhelming majority, the European Parliament yesterday defeated a
proposal which would have weakened the EU's ban on advertising
prescription-only medicines to the public.

In a vote of 494 to 42 the Parliament adopted an amendment that removed the
Commission's proposal to allow the industry to advertise medicines for
three disease groups: HIV/AIDS, asthma, and diabetes.

"We are thrilled by the Parliament's clear message that public health
should come before drug company profits," said Margaret Ewen, HAI Europe's
coordinator for this campaign. "The industry and DG Enterprise have
repeatedly tried to disguise this advertising effort as a way to inform
patients about their medicines. However, the Parliament clearly saw the
proposal's actual intent and defeated it."

The vote came during the Parliament's consideration of legislation aimed at
reforming European legislation on pharmaceutical products. The proposals
will now go to the EU's Council of Ministers before returning to the
Parliament.

For more information, contact:

Margaret Ewen
HAI Europe's Co-Director (Projects)
Tel: (+31-20) 683 3684
Fax: (+31-20) 685 5002
Email: info@haiweb.org




--
To send a message to E-Drug, write to: e-drug@usa.healthnet.org
To subscribe or unsubscribe, write to: majordomo@usa.healthnet.org
in the body of the message type: subscribe e-drug OR unsubscribe e-drug
To contact a person, send a message to: e-drug-help@usa.healthnet.org
Information and archives: http://www.healthnet.org/programs/edrug.html