The so-called Pharmacovigilance directive has already been agreed by the Council of Ministers and the European Parliament's Public Health Committee.

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But even if the directive is agreed to by the Council of Ministers and travels unscathed through the European Parliament, it does not go nearly far enough.

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The Council of Ministers of the European Union approved a draft directive to that effect in June.

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In Europe a new directive has go through the European Commission, the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers.

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