Healthy Skepticism Library item: 20100

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

TV drug adverts criticised
The Press 2000 Jun 27

Full text:

Drug companies should stop pushing products on television, Government Minister Lianne Dalziel says.

Ms Dalziel, who was addressing a forum on drug abuse at the Christchurch Town Hall last night, said the law should be changed to prevent the companies advertising prescription medicine to laymen.

“I certainly believe that all consumers should be well informed but commercial advertising is not about sharing knowledge. It it about presenting one side of the story for the purpose of attracting sales.

“I am deeply concerned that the powerful emotive image that are thrown up on the screen each night have a distorting effect on the doctor-patient relationship”, she said.

Patients were turning up at doctor’s surgeries demanding a prescription for a drug regardless of its suitability. Patients who did not get what they wanted often shopped around for a doctor willing to supply the drug advertised, Ms Dalziel said.