LEGISLATION/REIMBURSEMENT

Berlin  -  In the future mail-order pharmacies across Europe are to display a logo on their website that will identify them as legal providers. The Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI) spoke out in favour of this in the European Parliament. The delegates also wish to warn consumers more strongly about the dangers of obtaining medicines from unregulated sources. Corresponding measures are to be enshrined in the pharmaceutical package brought before the European Commission.

In December ENVI was occupied with the section of the pharmaceutical package that has the aim of fighting counterfeit medicines. In its draft report, the committee criticises the fact that the draft directive of the European Commission thus far has not taken Internet trading of medication until consideration. The Internet is, however, one of the main distribution channels for counterfeit medicines and mail-order trading is permitted in many member states. „This situation should therefore not be ignored and should be part of the directive“, it says in the document.

The suggested identification system will help consumers to differentiate legal from dubious suppliers. It resembles the seal co-ordinated in Germany by the German Institute of Medical Documentation and Information (DIMDI). According to information of APOTHEKE ADHOC, the Federal Ministry of Health has already been campaigning for quite a long time at an EU level for an adoption of the German system.

At the will of the committee, the commission, chaired by German SPD delegate Jo Leinen, is to develop a unified logo. It will have links on national websites on which all pharmacies with mail-order permits are listed. The member states are to ensure that the logo can be neither forged nor misused.

In addition, awareness is to be raised among the population of the dangers that are connected with ordering medicines online. Besides general information campaigns about illegal distribution channels, the ENVI demands that a warning should appear when consumers type medicines into search engines.

On 25th January the ENVI will discuss the entire pharmaceutical packet, which, besides fighting counterfeit medicines also provides for revisions of patient information about prescription medication as well as pharmacovigilance. The committee members can submit further amendments until the start of February. At the beginning of April the ENVI wants to vote on the pharmaceutical packet. A decision will be made in parliament in May.

Désirée Kietzmann, Mon, January 18, 2010 10:41am CET