2008-10-02

BRUSSELS - Can we expect pill manufacturers to provide objective information? This is the first in a series of articles on the influence of the pharmaceutical industry in Europe.

The European Commission is brooding on plans to allow pharmaceutical companies to have direct contact with patients about their drugs. Until now, this has been prohibited. Health groups in member states heavily oppose that business plan from the Directorate-General for Enterprise and Industry. Can we expect pill manufacturers to provide objective information? That question begins a series of articles on the influence of the pharmaceutical industry in Europe. The series is an example of European cooperation between Brigitte Alfter (Copenhagen), Joop Bouma (Amsterdam) and Marleen Teugels (Brussels) who are part of IReNe - the Investigative Reporters Network Europe. The series received support from both Journalismfund's Pascal Decroos Fund and the Dutch Fund for Special Journalistic Projects.

Marleen Teugels

Marleen Teugels (1959) is a Belgian lecturer-researcher and freelance journalist
Marleen Teugels

Brigitte Alfter

Brigitte Alfter is a senior German-Danish journalist, director for Arena for Journalism in Europe.
Brigitte Alfter

Joop Bouma

Joop Bouma is a Dutch investigative journalist.
Joop Bouma
€8,300 allocated on 10/09/2007
ID
FPD/2007/571

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