Coming soon: the shopping channel run by drug firms
Posted: Mon May 21, 2007 8:04 pm
Ahhh for a homeopathy channel.
Sheri
http://business.guardian.co.uk/story/0, ... ss&feed=24
Coming soon: the shopping channel run by drug firms
Sarah Boseley
Monday May 21, 2007
The Guardian
Four of the world's biggest pharmaceutical companies are proposing to
launch a television station to tell the public about their drugs, amid
strenuous lobbying across Europe by the industry for an end to restrictions
aimed at protecting patients. Pharma TV would be a dedicated interactive
digital channel funded by the industry with health news and features but,
at its heart, would be detailed information from drug companies about their
medicines.
A 10-minute pilot DVD, seen by the Guardian, featured a white-coated doctor
discussing breast cancer and a woman patient who reassured viewers that
"there are many new treatments available". Under the proposals, viewers
could use their remote control to click on treatment options and read what
manufacturers have to say about the latest branded breast cancer drugs.
----------
Four companies, Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer, Novartis and Procter & Gamble,
are behind the pilot, which they are offering to the European commission as
a way to give patients more information. The commission is consulting on
potential changes to the regulations that ban all direct-to-consumer
advertising of medicinal drugs.
The industry has been lobbying in Europe to be allowed direct access to
patients. It argues that lifting restrictions would help its
competitiveness and has hinted that companies may relocate to the US, where
they can advertise to patients who then demand drugs from their doctors.
Profits have soared there as a result.
The proposed change in the rules is being led within the commission by its
trade arm, DG Enterprise, and not health, DG Sanco. It is backed by a
number of influential patient groups that are themselves heavily funded by
drug companies. But consumer organisations are opposed, warning that the
companies will play down risk, and that their real interest lies in
boosting profits.
The International Society of Drug Bulletins (ISDB) - consumer publications
which analyse the benefits of drugs and draw comparisons between them -
warns that the industry is not a reliable source of trustworthy information.
The US and New Zealand allow drug companies to advertise to the public; the
ISDB says in both these countries this has been shown to be detrimental to
health.
"Pharmaceutical companies' messages are focused on relatively few top
sellers, exaggerating effects and concealing risks, confusing patients and
putting pressure on doctors to prescribe drugs they would not use
otherwise," it says. "Lack of comparative information in advertising means
people cannot choose among several options." Johnson & Johnson presented
the companies' proposals to a meeting in Brussels of the Centre for Health,
Ethics and Society, a thinktank which describes itself as "developed in
partnership with Johnson & Johnson". The audience comprised members of the
commission, patient groups and others.
The European Patient Information Channel, as industry is calling it, could
be available on the internet as well as TV, and would offer "on demand"
information about drugs "to enable patients and citizens to make better
decisions", said Scott Ratzan of Johnson & Johnson. It would be
self-regulating, with a board of medical, pharmaceutical and patient
representatives to hear complaints.
The TV pilot was welcomed by the European Patients' Forum. The forum, an
umbrella group, is one of only two patient organisations admitted to the
working group set up by the commission to discuss changes in the rules.
Although its executive director, Nicola Bedlington, said the pilot's
"slightly sanctimonious and patronising" tone needed improvement, she and
other patient representatives present approved it in principle.
--------------------------------------------------------
Sheri Nakken, R.N., MA, Hahnemannian Homeopath
Vaccination Information & Choice Network, Nevada City CA & Wales UK
Vaccines - http://www.nccn.net/~wwithin/vaccine.htm
Sheri
http://business.guardian.co.uk/story/0, ... ss&feed=24
Coming soon: the shopping channel run by drug firms
Sarah Boseley
Monday May 21, 2007
The Guardian
Four of the world's biggest pharmaceutical companies are proposing to
launch a television station to tell the public about their drugs, amid
strenuous lobbying across Europe by the industry for an end to restrictions
aimed at protecting patients. Pharma TV would be a dedicated interactive
digital channel funded by the industry with health news and features but,
at its heart, would be detailed information from drug companies about their
medicines.
A 10-minute pilot DVD, seen by the Guardian, featured a white-coated doctor
discussing breast cancer and a woman patient who reassured viewers that
"there are many new treatments available". Under the proposals, viewers
could use their remote control to click on treatment options and read what
manufacturers have to say about the latest branded breast cancer drugs.
----------
Four companies, Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer, Novartis and Procter & Gamble,
are behind the pilot, which they are offering to the European commission as
a way to give patients more information. The commission is consulting on
potential changes to the regulations that ban all direct-to-consumer
advertising of medicinal drugs.
The industry has been lobbying in Europe to be allowed direct access to
patients. It argues that lifting restrictions would help its
competitiveness and has hinted that companies may relocate to the US, where
they can advertise to patients who then demand drugs from their doctors.
Profits have soared there as a result.
The proposed change in the rules is being led within the commission by its
trade arm, DG Enterprise, and not health, DG Sanco. It is backed by a
number of influential patient groups that are themselves heavily funded by
drug companies. But consumer organisations are opposed, warning that the
companies will play down risk, and that their real interest lies in
boosting profits.
The International Society of Drug Bulletins (ISDB) - consumer publications
which analyse the benefits of drugs and draw comparisons between them -
warns that the industry is not a reliable source of trustworthy information.
The US and New Zealand allow drug companies to advertise to the public; the
ISDB says in both these countries this has been shown to be detrimental to
health.
"Pharmaceutical companies' messages are focused on relatively few top
sellers, exaggerating effects and concealing risks, confusing patients and
putting pressure on doctors to prescribe drugs they would not use
otherwise," it says. "Lack of comparative information in advertising means
people cannot choose among several options." Johnson & Johnson presented
the companies' proposals to a meeting in Brussels of the Centre for Health,
Ethics and Society, a thinktank which describes itself as "developed in
partnership with Johnson & Johnson". The audience comprised members of the
commission, patient groups and others.
The European Patient Information Channel, as industry is calling it, could
be available on the internet as well as TV, and would offer "on demand"
information about drugs "to enable patients and citizens to make better
decisions", said Scott Ratzan of Johnson & Johnson. It would be
self-regulating, with a board of medical, pharmaceutical and patient
representatives to hear complaints.
The TV pilot was welcomed by the European Patients' Forum. The forum, an
umbrella group, is one of only two patient organisations admitted to the
working group set up by the commission to discuss changes in the rules.
Although its executive director, Nicola Bedlington, said the pilot's
"slightly sanctimonious and patronising" tone needed improvement, she and
other patient representatives present approved it in principle.
--------------------------------------------------------
Sheri Nakken, R.N., MA, Hahnemannian Homeopath
Vaccination Information & Choice Network, Nevada City CA & Wales UK
Vaccines - http://www.nccn.net/~wwithin/vaccine.htm