meeting with patient and consumer organisations

The MEB maintains contact with consumers/patients through patient and consumer organisations. The MEB has been organising six-monthly meetings with patient and consumer organisations since 2004 at which information is exchanged and discussions held. These organisations greatly appreciate being kept up to date on information about new developments in medicines. For the MEB this exchange is important because the contact with the organisations provides a good insight into the use of medicines. Topics of discussion include the package leaflet, repeat prescriptions, over-the-counter medicines (medicines available without a prescription) and medicines for children. Reports of this meeting can be found in the news section and in documents of meetings with patient organisations.

Up-to-date information about adverse events
Along with the six-monthly meeting, the MEB provides the relevant patient organisation with up-to-date information about adverse events of a specific medicine. The patient organisation can keep its members better informed with this information. The MEB considers it important that information about adverse events reaches the patient as quickly as possible.

The collaboration between the organisations and the MEB is specified in a policy document (in Dutch). All participating patient organisations have signed a declaration with regard to representation and the transparency of financing (see the list). The MEB has assessed these statements and found them to be satisfactory.

Patient and consumer organisations that would like to be considered for participation in the meeting should contact the PR & Communication Department.