Ray Moynihan reports in the BMJ (subscription required) that a controversial proposal to have drug companies “patient compliance” programs declared legal in France has failed.
Excerpts:
“Critics described the proposal as a backdoor attempt to introduce into France direct to consumer drug advertising, which is currently banned throughout Europe.
Compliance support programmes organised by drug companies can include telephone reminders to consumers, personalised information for patients, and even home visits from nurses. The drug industry defends public health programmes as valuable for boosting adherence to treatment; others argue the programmes are Big Brother-style marketing strategies intended to boost profits.
A recently formed advocacy group called the Medicines in Europe Forum, which comprises patients, professionals, and others, successfully lobbied French politicians last month to reject the proposal. The group claims that compliance programmes are often little more than advertising stunts, designed to build brand loyalty and "increase the quantity of drugs consumed."
The controversy is part of the wider debate over whether aggressive United States-style drug advertising should be allowed on the other side of the Atlantic, an idea firmly rejected by the European parliament. Despite the ban, industry in Europe is continuing to push to liberalise restrictions on communications with the public, arguing that drug companies can provide patients with valuable health information.
Although the French plan to legalise company compliance programmes was defeated last month, it will be debated again in the French parliament later this year.”
Posted by schwitz at February 14, 2007 08:36 AM | TrackBack