U.S. pharmaceutical companies may have gotten off easy compared to other areas of the world, said Peter Pitts, president of the Center for Medicine in the Public Interest and a former associate commissioner at the FDA.
The European Court of Justice recently ruled that online remarks about drugs posted by a third party on the manufacturer's Web property could constitute advertising, even though the post's author has no connection with the product's manufacturer or marketer.
“That's carte blanche for an almost complete gag order on anyone who wants to discuss anything to do with medicines,” Pitts said.
The European Court of Justice recently ruled that online remarks about drugs posted by a third party on the manufacturer's Web property could constitute advertising, even though the post's author has no connection with the product's manufacturer or marketer.
“That's carte blanche for an almost complete gag order on anyone who wants to discuss anything to do with medicines,” Pitts said.
