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Parliamentary questions
13 June 2012
E-005910/2012
Question for written answer
to the Commission
Rule 117
Marc Tarabella (S&D)

 Subject: Therapeutic quality and effectiveness of generic medicines
 Answer(s) 

In many Member States, the national health authorities require doctors and pharmacists to prescribe and issue generic medicines, since these molecules are identical and therefore present no risk to the patient, but are priced at a level that enables social security systems to make considerable savings.

However, in a recent report from the French Academy of Medicine, the therapeutic quality and effectiveness of generic medicaments is called into question, without any scientific proof being provided.

Can the Commission specify:

1. whether it has access to any in-depth studies from the European Medicines Agency that demonstrate the risks linked with taking generic medicines;
2. whether it considers it acceptable that policies concerning identical generic medicines differ from one Member State to another;
3. whether it intends to take any steps to resolve these uncertainties in the near future?

Original language of question: FR 
Last updated: 28 June 2012Legal notice