Healthy Skepticism Library item: 20092

Warning: This library includes all items relevant to health product marketing that we are aware of regardless of quality. Often we do not agree with all or part of the contents.

Publication type: news

Pill scare 'shows dangers' of ads
New Zealand Press Association 2000 Jun 22

Full text:

The latest blood clot scare surrounding the third-generation contraceptive pill highlights the potential dangers of advertising directly to consumers, government drug buying agency Pharmac says.

New Zealand women were the highest users of third-generation contraceptive pills in the world, with intense marketing to doctors initially responsible, Pharmac general manager Wayne McNee said.

“The use of third-generation oral contraceptives really peaked before the drug industry’s recent push into direct-to-consumer advertising.

“However, it is a sobering thought to think what might have happened if women had been bombarded with messages promoting these drugs, as is happening with drug advertising today”.

A Otago University and Health Ministry study published last week found 20 women on the pill died of blood clots in the lungs in one decade.

It also said that for every 100,000 women taking oral contraceptives, one would die each year from a blood clot in the veins.

Blood clots are associated with second and third-generation oral contraceptives, but the third-generation pills carry a higher risk.

Mr McNee said at the peak of marketing to doctors, 60 percent of New Zealand women were using the third generation pill, compared to with 5 percent in Australia and 10 percent in the United States.

New Zealand is the only country beside the United States that allows direct to consumer advertising of prescription medicines.