While recent announcements in the US have committed the drug industry to ban gifts to medical professionals and reveal financial support for medical education, there is no sign of such action in Europe.
On 14 July, drug companies in the United States announced plans for the complete cessation of gifts to doctors, ahead of much tougher proposals being considered by the US authorities. This follows announcements by a number of drug companies that they will disclose information on funding of doctors' educational events in the US. Similar requirements are also in place in Australia.
However recent voluntary guidelines put forward by drug companies in Europe fall short of any obligation for the industry to ban gifts to health professionals or disclose its funding of medical organisations, educational events and financial arrangements with doctors.
A new survey conducted by Consumers International reveals none of the major pharmaceutical companies that have made commitments in the US have any clear plans to take similar action in EU markets.
This lack of action means European consumers could be left unaware of possible relationships between drug companies and their physician or family doctor. Such relationships may include the sponsoring of professional health associations or doctors attendance at foreign conferences and medical education programmes.
Consumers International believes this calls into question the impartiality of the recommendations given by health associations and compromises the relationship of trust between patients and doctors.
