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'Codes' and practice: information in drug advertisements--an example from Sri Lanka
1Department of International Health Care Research (IHCAR), Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
Social Science & Medicine (1982)
|January 1, 1990
Summary
Drug advertisements in the Ceylon Medical Journal lacked essential scientific details, failing to ensure rational drug use. Current guidelines are insufficient to guarantee minimum information in pharmaceutical promotions.
Area of Science:
- Pharmaceutical advertising
- Health communication
- Drug regulation
Background:
- The debate on scientific information in drug advertisements spans over two decades.
- Ensuring rational drug use through accurate advertising is crucial.
- There is a notable scarcity of data from developing countries regarding drug advertisements.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze drug advertisements in the Ceylon Medical Journal (CMJ) from 1985-1986.
- To assess the conformity of these advertisements with World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines and the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Associations (IFPMA) code.
- To evaluate the adequacy of scientific information provided in drug advertisements for promoting rational drug use.
Main Methods:
- A comprehensive analysis of all drug advertisements published in the CMJ between 1985 and 1986.
- Quantitative assessment of information content, including generic name, indications, adverse effects, contraindications, and dosage.
- Evaluation against established WHO guidelines and the IFPMA code for pharmaceutical advertising.
Main Results:
- Drug advertisements occupied 42% of the CMJ pages, with most companies originating from industrialized nations.
- A significant percentage of advertisements lacked essential information: 21% omitted the generic name, while only 23% and 22% included adverse effects and contraindications, respectively.
- Only 16% of advertisements provided a complete set of scientific information (generic name, indications, dosage, adverse effects, contraindications).
- Despite deficiencies, 68% met WHO and IFPMA criteria, largely due to the 'reminder advertisement' clause.
Conclusions:
- Existing guidelines are inadequate to ensure the minimum scientific information required for rational drug use in pharmaceutical advertisements.
- The study highlights a gap in regulatory effectiveness, particularly concerning comprehensive data in drug promotions.
- There is a need for revised and more stringent guidelines to improve the quality of scientific information in drug advertisements, especially in developing countries.
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