Social Audit RESPONSE TO THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION

RESPONSE TO THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION’S 'LEGAL PROPOSALS ON INFORMATION TO PATIENTS' DearSirs,Ifeelunabletorespondtoyourconsultationon‘patientinformation’onthepointbypointbasisproposed.ButIdowishtoregisterthestrongestobjectionstoyourplans,notleastforthereasonsexplainedinthestatementyouhavereceivedfromtheconsortiumofelevenorganisations,ledbyISDB,MiEF,HAIandAIM,alsoinpapersfromthePickerInstituteandothers.Fromahealthperspective,theproposaltoexposepeopletomoreandmorediseaseawarenessmessagesfrompharmaceuticalcompaniesseemsdestitute.ItisespeciallyunacceptablethatDGEnterprise&Industryshouldbetryingtolegalisedirecttoconsumerpromotionofprescriptiondrugs,yetagainbydressingitupasaproposaltoliberateconsumerswithbetterdruginformation.TheCommission’sproposalsstandforprinciplesthat,after30yearsofprofessionalengagementinthisfield,Ihavelearnedtoabhor.AnabbreviatedCurriculumVitaeisattachedatAppendixTwo.Asaprescriptionforhealth,thisconsultationexerciseseemsessentiallycynical.ThemainobjectiveofDGEnterpriseandIndustry(DGEI)istopromoteEuropeantradeandeconomicdevelopment.Thatisalegitimateinterestinitsownright,butitpresentsgrotesqueconflictsofinterestwhenitcomestoshapinghealthpolicy–andtheseproposalsexemplifythem ...