EU pharmaceutical package compromise for R&D drug firms and parallel traders

The European Commission's delayed "pharmaceutical package" of reforms on a wide number of areas, including information to patients and re-packaging of prescription drugs within the European Union, has been unveiled. The various stakeholders said they would need more time to study some of the proposals in detail. However, a consensus appeared to be emerging that the research-based drugmakers were satisfied with the greater opportunities to communicate with patients directly, but that the proposals for boosting the prescription medicine supply chain were short of the hopes of the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations.

An EFPIA spokesman told the Marketletter: "we wanted a ban on re-packaging. However, we will work with the arrangements being proposed by the Commission." Andreas Mohringer, president of the European Association of Euro-Pharmaceutical Companies, which represents licensed parallel-trade wholesalers, admitted: "more still should be done to ensure patient safety and access to affordable medicines."

The EU Commissioner for Enterprise and Industry, Gunther Verheugen, said: "everything we are suggesting...builds on the needs and interests of patients. European citizens should benefit from safe, innovative and accessible medicines. They should be best informed about available medicines and treatments - since their health is at stake. We wish to restore the EU's traditional role as the pharmacy of the world."