The recent tragic events in UK where the testing of a new drug caused life-threatening side effects is an extreme case. There are few if any parallels. The risk is that the focus turns to this kind of anomalies from the even more serious need among care consumers to have good information on pharmaceuticals and medical procedures.

In the EuroHealth Consumer Index (EHCI) 2006 (to be launched in Brussels June 26) we will point to the need for governments to support the position of consumers. We discuss how to measure such ambitions. “Is there a patient ombudsman” linked to the national health care system taking raking rapid action? “Are patient organizations involved in healthcare policy decision making” might be another criteria if you want to compare the EU care systems.

Looking into information about pharmaceuticals European consumers would gain from better access. Today the EU is caught in a dilemma between on one hand the want to improve information to make people more competent dealing with their illness and on the other the fear of an “American situation”. I.e. direct to consumer marketing. A first step on the road of constructive compromise would be introduction of a layman-adapted pharmacopeia in every country. Such a tool, readily accessible to the public, would strengthen the muscles of the consumers. We would like to bring this element into the EHCI 2006.

By no means such action is enough. Not until you make this kind of pharmacopeia consumer-driven you will take a big step forward. Here you can open a link for consumer-driven reports of daily life side-effects of the kind seldom channelled by the medical profession. According to expert authorities like the NICE in UK and the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) on the Union level there is a large flow of unwanted symptoms which never surface.

So, if you want to see the whole of the under-information iceberg you better improve the consumer communication on pharmaceuticals. This should not be such a provoking thing, should it?

Johan Hjertqvist
President