TITLE IX

PHARMACOVIGILANCE
CHAPTER 2

Transparency and communications
Article 106a
1
As soon as the marketing authorisation holder intends to make a public announcement relating to information on pharmacovigilance concerns in relation to the use of a medicinal product, and in any event at the same time or before the public announcement is made, he shall be required to inform the national competent authorities, the Agency and the Commission.
The marketing authorisation holder shall ensure that information to the public is presented objectively and is not misleading.
2
Unless urgent public announcements are required for the protection of public health, the Member States, the Agency and the Commission shall inform each other not less than 24 hours prior to a public announcement relating to information on pharmacovigilance concerns.
3
For active substances contained in medicinal products authorised in more than one Member State, the Agency shall be responsible for the coordination between national competent authorities of safety announcements and shall provide timetables for the information being made public.
Under the coordination of the Agency, the Member States shall make all reasonable efforts to agree on a common message in relation to the safety of the medicinal product concerned and the timetables for their distribution. The Pharmacovigilance Risk Assessment Committee shall, at the request of the Agency, provide advice on those safety announcements.
4
When the Agency or national competent authorities make public information referred to in paragraphs 2 and 3, any information of a personal or commercially confidential nature shall be deleted unless its public disclosure is necessary for the protection of public health.
Substituted by Directive 2010/84/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 December 2010 amending, as regards pharmacovigilance, Directive 2001/83/EC on the Community code relating to medicinal products for human use (Text with EEA relevance).