Healthy Skepticism Library item: 613

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

Lal A, Moharana AK, Chandra P, Ray A.
Critical evaluation of references in drug advertisements: an Indian experience.
J Assoc Physicians India 1996 Nov; 44:(11):778-9

Abstract:

Drug advertisements have important effect in prescribing habits of physicians. WHO states that all the claims in drug advertisements should be supported by suitable documentary evidences (references). The present study evaluated citations (mentioned/not mentioned), sources (journals, books, conferences/symposia, personal testimonial, unpublished data in file) and adequacy (complete/incomplete) of the references in 585 drug advertisements supplied by medical detail persons to different clinical departments of our hospital. The references were cited only in 37.9% of the drug advertisements. In total, 1032 references (76% of journals, 15% of books, 2% of conferences/symposia, 4% of personal testimonials, 1% of unpublished data and 2% of data in file) were cited. Only 10% references of journals, 7% of books and 12% of conferences/symposia were found complete (according to standard bibliographic norms). The current situation can be improved if the government, industry and the prescribers formulate some guidelines for the mentioning of adequate references in drug advertisements.

PMID: 9251451 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]

Keywords:
*analytic survey India developing countries references promotional literature regulation of promotion EVALUATION OF PROMOTION: PROMOTIONAL BROCHURES PROMOTION AND HEALTH NEEDS: PROMOTION IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES PROMOTIONAL TECHNIQUES: USE OF REFERENCES