Re: [Gnumed-devel] re drug ref

[Horst Herb]

Karsten Hilbert wrote:

> Well, that would even be illegal here in Germany. Patients are
> apparently deemed mentally unfit to digest full information :-))
> I wonder how Informed Shared Decision Making is supposed to
> work if they can't get the information from someone other than
> the (prescribing) doctor...

Providing information is not illegal - that's why you get fairly 
comprehensive information (including biochemistry, dosage information, 
indication etc) on the CPI in the package. What is illegal is any form 
of direct-to-consumer advertising.

Since most brand-based drug references can be seen as some sort of 
advertising (most in fact come with a lot of advertising), you cannot 
publish them "free for all" in most developed countries.

However, there is no such restriction regarding generic non-advertising 
information.

Horst