At 21:51 18/02/98 +0000, you wrote:
>> Date: Mon, 16 Feb 1998 20:05:33 -0500
>> Subject: leukotriene inhibitor for asthma
>> From: Declan Fox <[log in to unmask]>
>> To: "INTERNET:[log in to unmask]" <[log in to unmask]>
>> Reply-to: [log in to unmask]
>
>> <<I' ve just watched the BBC news and saw blatant publicity placed by a
>> drug
>> company for their new leukotriene inhibitor for asthma. I find this type of
>> manipulation quite upsetting as we have little/no time to make a balanced
>> judgement on any benefits or risks before the punters come in clutching
>> their papers etc.>>
>>
>> I'm sorry I missed that but I feel that if it is that blatant then someone
>> should complain to the ABPI.
>>
>as there has been so much gripping about this, will someone *please*
>complain to the ABPI and tell us when they have done it. I can't do
>everything:-) Address is in the data sheet compendeum with rules and
>regs you can base your complaint on.
>
>Currently waiting for my appeal re Aricept adverts to be heard:-)
>
>
>Dr David J Plews
>------------------------
>
>This is a very tricky one.
Every sort of industry employs PR agents to try to get their message
across, and the pharmaceutical industry is no exceoption.
Those briefings to the medical press tend to be technical, and are aimed at
trying to influence the prescribing of doctors by highlighting medicinal
claims e.g. cures 99% of all known germs, but if the company did not place
thems directly as an advert, then it is not promotion directly, and
arguably is outside the terms of the ABPI prescriptions medicines code of
practice.
When informing the media, the briefings tend to be informational, and the
vast majority are ignored, because they are not thought to be of news value.
In the case of something big (arguable what big is), the media may pick it
up, and this happened in this case. As long as the company is not
promoting a prescription medicine to the lay public, and not making
medicinal promotional claims about the product, then it is probably outside
the code of practice, and the ABPI may not be interested.
Martin Goldman
[log in to unmask]
landline 44-181-4457128
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
|