Liberal proposals about how to improve information on prescription drugs have passed an important reality check yesterday afternoon in a seminar at the European Parliament. ALDE members on the Industry, Research and Energy Committee Lena EK (Centerpartiet, Sweden), Christian BUSOI (PNL, Romania) and Jorgo CHATZIMARKAKIS (FDP, Germany), who had together with Antonyia PARVANOVA (NMSP, Bulgaria) organised the seminar, discussed with about 100 political, pharmaceutical industry, patient and consumer representatives.

After a proposal for a directive on information on medicinal products tabled by the European Commission it is now up to the European Parliament to give its input to the legislation.

Jorgo CHATZIMARKAKIS, who chaired the seminar, said: "The current Commission draft on the matter points in the right direction; it has created a clear framework. We need a change of course in the matter of information policy. Our problem today is that patients don't understand the current package inserts. This complicates and alienates the so called compliance. Patients are therefore increasingly trying to find the information on the Internet. But they find information that is not always reliable, is often only available in English and heavily influenced by interest groups".

Antonyia PARVANOVA, who was a specialist in public health before becoming an MEP, added: "Patients need more and better information in order to play an active role in the management of their disease or condition. While guaranteeing that this information remains non-promotional, we also need to look at improving health literacy and education."

CHATZIMARKAKIS emphasized that the draft includes a suggestion for a ban on prescription drug advertising, but also pointed out the importance to understand the mandatory information. "The information has to be objectively correct and verifiable - this has to be proven beforehand." He demanded to assign the control on information to the London based European drug agency EMEA. "I am confident that we will finalise this draft before the end of this year - it is in the pipeline."