France's LEEM pushes for patient support programs to obtain legal framework

The French drug industry association (LEEM) has launched a campaign to allow its members to operate more patient compliance or therapeutic support programs. A draft law is being prepared in France to provide a framework for drugmaker-funded drug and treatment programs. The LEEM wants to avoid recent controversies that have dogged these programs which the industry's critics say drug companies want to use to establish direct communication with patients (Marketletter January 15).

A draft bill on this issue is due to be submitted by Senator Nicolas About (Union centriste) to the Parliament next year. The Senator, a physician, heads the parliamentary office for the evaluation of health policies. Drug firms want the new legislation to fund home visits to monitor therapeutic compliance or to check that patients are using their products properly. There is also pressure to improve the monitoring of treatments for patients with chronic conditions and who may require instruction in administering their treatments, for example injectable drugs for diabetics.

The LEEM's president, Christian Lajoux, notes that a legal framework would help avoid the controversy relating to direct contact with patients, which is banned in cases where prescription drugs are being administered. He said the therapeutic programs would be "totally unrelated to promotion campaigns" and that all the support programs will be under the control of health care professionals. Patients would be asked to indicate their agreement and may withdraw at any point.