The pharmaceutical industry is not an appropriate source of general information on prescription medicines to the public, mainly because of potential conflicts of interest relating to financial matters, according to nearly half the responses to the European Commission’s now-completed public consultation on the provision of medicines information to patients.
Responses received from health care professionals and payers were “mostly suspicious” of drugmakers as information suppliers, while those from media, patient information organisations and the industry itself were generally supportive. A significant minority suggested that, if there was a clear distinction between advertising and information, companies would be a valuable source of such information because they know the product.
Most responses agreed that drugmakers should be allowed to publish on their websites Summaries of Product Characteristics (SPCs) and patient information leaflets (PILs), for example. However, many of then, especially from health professionals and regulators, were apprehensive that manufacturers could focus this information on newer products, because they would have stronger economic interests in doing so. “Information about ongoing studies shall by no means be communicated to the public, as they are likely to create massive uncertainty in patients,” the Commission adds.
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