Thomas Lonngren, Director of the chief European medicines regulator said that the information leaflets in medicines packaging is scaring patients out of taking their medicines. He said that a more positive messaging is needed to encourage patients to take their medicines.
"We should reconsider how we are writing the packaging leaflet so they (patients) can see the benefit (of the drug)." Mr Lonngren said at the workshop. The current format contains a long list of side effects which was undermining patients’ confidence in their medicines to the point where some patients were not taking their drugs, EMEA was told by patient organisations.
Lonngren also told the press that EMEA were examining new applications that are ’in the pipeline’ for converting prescription to over the counter drugs (drugs that do not require a prescription) although he did not refer to any specific drugs.
Lonngren was also keen to stress EMEA’s role in the regulation of medicines as distinct from policing pharma and would not be involved in making sure companies do not stray from: providing information to advertising saying "The best enforcement is on a local level by member states."
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