The Erice declaration : the critical role of communication in drug safety

The Erice Declaration on Communicating Drug Safety Information, first published in September 1997, provides a vision of vigorous, open, ethical, patient-centred communications in drug safety that the world has yet to achieve. The Declaration is reprinted here as a further stimulus to all parties to renew their commitment and to add new momentum to the improvements which have undoubtedly taken place in the past few years. The content of the Declaration is briefly reviewed, and some of the continuing communications challenges and problems are outlined.