Healthy Skepticism Library item: 14080

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

Giampaolo V, Riccardo R, Roberto S.
Drugs in the newspapers.
Drugs 2008; 68:(7):1017-8
http://drugs.adisonline.com/pt/re/drugs/toc.00003495-200868070-00000.htm

Abstract:

Communication about drugs through newspapers is a critical issue with a high ethical impact in a modern society, which is characterized by a strong consumerism, including that for drugs. Newspapers and journalists have in their hands a very powerful opportunity to influence the choices people make and this becomes more critical when it refers to health problems. Within the area of health, the drug market is a huge business, and even more so in those countries, such as the US and New Zealand, where direct to consumer advertising is permitted.

As a joint collaboration of a newspaper journalist in charge of the health pages of Corriere della Sera (the most read Italian newspaper), a medical journalist expert on drugs working in collaboration with different journals, and a clinical pharmacologist from the University and Reference Centre for Education and Communication within the WHO Programme for International Drug Monitoring, we present the following points on this issue for consideration by the readers…

Keywords:
Publication Types: Letter MeSH Terms: Disclosure* Drug Industry Humans Newspapers* Pharmaceutical Preparations*/adverse effects Substances: Pharmaceutical Preparations