New Technologies for the Marketing and Sale of Medicines on the Internet and Television Networks

Studie 01-01-2000

This study aims to provide the European Parliament with sound information useful for the adoption of policies with respect to the marketing and sale of medicines on the Internet and other new information technologies. Medicinal products have important singularities affecting their launching, ways of distribution, information policies and their price. These singularities have been addressed in different European directives and member states' laws but none of them explicitly considers the case of new information technologies. The possible extension of the Internet into the domain of the marketing and sale of medicinal products has arisen the concern of European health related organisations that call for the adoption of proper policies to protect consumers against its incorrect use. The adoption of such policies first has to recognise the cross-boundary nature of the Internet that requires, as far as possible, world-wide level approaches. Secondly, it must consider consumers’ interests in terms of self-determination, economics, security and convenience. Finally, it has to take into account the economic interests of involved enterprises and authorities for what respects to public health expenditure.