Healthy Skepticism Library item: 3409

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: Journal Article

Collier J.
Promotion of medicines—the failure of regulation
Medicine in Society 1986; 12:(3):8-10

Abstract:

The industry in the United Kingdom spends £180 million annually on promotion, almost as much as it does on research. Although there is legislation to control promotion it is poor enforced. Instead the government is willing to let the industry self-regulate. By the time the industry Code of Practices Committee gets around to ruling on a complaint about an ad, the company’s campaign will have achieved its goals. A number of examples of misleading journal advertisements are given. In addition, the prescribing information in ads is often illegible. Companies also engage in indirect promotion; in the 1950s, grants from a number of companies helped to establish the Royal College of General Practitioners.

Keywords:
*analysis/United Kingdom/promotion costs and volume/regulation of promotion/journal advertisements/quality of information/ relationship between researchers, academic institutions and industry/ATTITUDES REGARDING PROMOTION: HEALTH PROFESSIONALS/ETHICAL ISSUES IN PROMOTION: LINKS BETWEEN HEALTH PROFESSIONALS AND INDUSTRY/EVALUATION OF PROMOTION: JOURNAL ADVERTISEMENTS/REGULATION, CODES, GUIDELINES: DIRECT GOVERNMENT REGULATION/REGULATION, CODES, GUIDELINES: INDUSTRY SELF-REGULATION/VOLUME OF AND EXPENDITURE ON PROMOTION