EU Players Suggest End to Drug Advertising Ban

A former Commissioner for the Internal Market, Frits Bolkestein, has urged that the European Union (EU)-wide ban on the advertising of prescription pharmaceuticals be lifted. The comments add to growing calls for an end to the ban, which have been voiced by Estonian Prime Minister Mart Laar and members of the European parliament. Many of those in favour believe that patients require more access to information, provided that this activity is appropriately regulated.

A previous attempt to overturn the restrictions was defeated in the EU parliament in 2002, following consumer concerns that heavy advertising could distort prescription patterns. While advertising for OTC medicines continues, it appears that EU legislators are likely to remain leery of allowing the introduction of US-style marketing activities for prescription drugs.

Meanwhile, a senior official at the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) has claimed that the EU's existing monitoring practices on drug safety are inadequate. Citing the recent controversy over Cox-2 inhibitors, Thomas Lonngren suggested that a system relying on doctors and companies to identify harmful side effects is inadequate, and that EMEA could set up its own safety studies in future. Although EMEA's powers are not fully equivalent to those of the US FDA, the agency is expected to assume responsibility for issuing tentative approvals for the EU in November.