Self-Medication Backed By EU Ministers And Parliament

On June 2, European Union Health Ministers and Parliament adopted the action program on health promotion, information, education and training within the framework of public health, EU Commissioner Padraig Flynn told the 31st Annual Meeting of the European Proprietary Medicines Manufacturers' Association in Lisbon, Portugal, last week. The budget for this program has been set at 600 million Ecus ($781.4 million; see also Marketletter June 12).

This is a major step forward for the sector, and is the first time that an EU endorsement has been given to self-medication, explicitly in an official document on public health policy.

The support is not only for minor ailments, but also for chronic conditions which are initially diagnosed by the doctor and subsequently, with the right information, managed by the consumer with the help of a pharmacist. The move was welcomed by the AESGP.