The Internet and pharmaceutical products
A speech delivered by a representative of the European Commission, DG III, during the IFPMA conference held in Geneva, Switzerland, on 6 October 1998, outlined the potential of the Internet for the pharmaceuticals industry. It contains an overview of the impact of the Internet on the provision of information on medicinal products and the supply of medicinal products outside the normal, regulated distribution channels. The relevant provisions of EU pharmaceutical law in respect to the advertising and supply of medicinal products through the Internet are also documented, followed by an assessment of the enforcement of these provisions and a summary of important related issues which need to be considered, such as data protection and the role of pharmacists and doctors. The overall conclusion is that the Internet has the capacity to enhance the manner in which people communicate and do business worldwide. In particular relation to the pharmaceutical sector, the potential gains, in terms of empowering the consumer with previously unavailable information, outweigh the threats. It is also felt that the enforcement of domestic regulation should ensure the required level of consumer protection and fair trade. In order to realise the full potential of the new Information Society, in terms of job creation, economic growth and better services, it is recommended that regulators should review and update current legislation and policies, and that industries, wholesalers and health professionals should review their traditional practices in order to take new developments into account.