Swiss consultation on drugs for allergies

The Swiss Medicines Institute, Swissmedic, has published a draft regulation for consultation on drugs for the treatment of allergies. Most of the products currently on the Swiss market were granted marketing approval in the 1980s and 1990s under regulations now regarded by the agency as obsolete.

The drugs form a heterogeneous group of complex agents, most of which Swissmedic believes are potentially risky if not produced and used correctly. The agency says that the new regulation aims to set out up-to-date conditions under which anti-allergy drugs can be approved in line for European Union best practice and international norms and guidelines. The consultation will run until June 27 this year. The new regulation is due to take effect in 2007.