Healthy Skepticism Library item: 10175

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

Mustaza M.
Plug Loopholes in Consumer Protection
Malay Mail 2007 Mar 14
http://www.redorbit.com/news/display/?id=868942

Full text:

TOMORROW marks World Consumer Rights Day. It also signifies the start of Consumer International’s two-year campaign on unethical drug promotion.

Fomca, which will launch a `Know Your Medicine’ campaign with the Health Ministry in June, outlined the facts on pharmaceutical goods in Malaysia and how it relates to the consumers. MASAMI MUSTAZA reports.

IF you are among those who choose to go to the pharmacy when ill and buy your own medicine instead of making a trip to the doctor, then you are not alone.

According to the Federation of Malaysian Consumers Association, some 70 per cent of the public choose to self-medicate due to the increasing cost of health care.

Thus, consumers rely heavily on advertisements and information provided by pharmaceutical companies in buying prescribed medicine.

Fomca chief executive officer Indrani Thuraisingham said although the promotion of prescribed medicine in Malaysia is illegal, it has not deterred drug companies from finding innovative means to get their products known to consumers.

This, she said, includes using disease awareness campaigns for drug promotion rather than health promotion.

Another method includes putting up posters and brochures of drugs in clinics and hospitals.

“These are some of the most common violations besides promoting misleading or false claims about a drug, deliberately suppressing risks and side effects of a drug and providing financial incentives to doctors for prescribing a drug to consumers,” she said.

All countries, except New Zealand and the United States, ban direct promotion of drugs to consumers.

“In the past, one needed a prescription to buy prescribed drugs.

“But now, purchases can easily be made over the counter.

“There are doctors who also provide prescriptions when requested by patients,” claimed Indrani.

She said Fomca will monitor the situation over the next two years to take stock of unethical promotional tactics and violations of laws by drug companies.

This is part of the initiative with CI to ensure that companies follow World Health Organisation guidelines on what can or cannot be promoted.

“Drug promotion is also prevalent on the Internet, thus the Ministry needs to protect consumers against this.

“We are asking the authorities to enforce laws and look into legislation that have loopholes on consumer protection,” said Indrani.

Fomca is also lobbying the authorities to instruct hospitals and clinics to provide better labelling on their medicine packets.

“The labels on medicine given to patients at hospitals and clinics do not provide the necessary information, such as the medicine’s expiry date, which is crucial.”

The labels, she said, should have information such as its due date, brand and generic name, purpose, warning on the medicine’s side effects and advice on how the medicine should be consumed.

Indrani added that the best way for consumers to protect themselves is to “know how to ask questions”.

“The Internet is a good place to read up on medicines so consumers are better equipped to question doctors and pharmacists.

Some examples may be: could the medicine be taken with fizzy drinks and is the medicine safe for pregnant women,” said Indrani.

“Don’t be afraid to ask simple questions. Consumers have a right to information on their medication.”

Fomca will be launching a `Know Your Medicine’ campaign, in collaboration with the Health Ministry in June, which also coincides with CI’s two-year campaign on unethical drug promotion.

Fomca, a CI member, is coming up with materials for the campaign and will seek the expertise of pharmacists in educating consumers on the rational use of medicines.

As part of the campaign, Fomca will also be conducting a year- long survey involving consumers, pharmacies and doctors on the rational use of medicine.