Consumer groups call for EC pharma shake-up

Consumer organisations would like pharmaceutical and medicine policy to be removed from the responsibility of the European Commission's directorate general (DG) for enterprise and industry.

Europe's consumer federation BEUC, the European Public Health Alliance (EPHA) and the Association International de la Mutualite want it transferred to the DG for health and consumer affairs.

In a letter to Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso and EU national leaders, the groups said: "Access to safe, effective and high quality medicines is a human right. Therefore, pharmaceutical policymaking should put health and human rights at its core."

The call comes as the make-up of a new European Commission is being considered: it should assume office in November. Meanwhile the structure of Commission DGs is under review.