The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 280 No 7489 p171
16 February 2008

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Healthcare market plans delayed

Plans for a European Directive to clarify patients’ rights to travel to other EU countries for treatment at the expense of their own national health service seem to be in disarray. Publication of a draft directive was cancelled a few days before Christmas with an announcement that it would be published in January 2008.

Now, commission vice-president Margot Wallström is said to believe that the plans will not be accepted by the European Parliament or by the Council of Ministers. An EC spokesman said this week that there was now no date scheduled for it.