Healthy Skepticism Library item: 15835

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

Martín-Llaguno M, Alvarez-Dardet C.
[Withdrawal of an advertising campaign to promote the quadrivalent human papilloma virus vaccine in Spain].
Gac Sanit. 2009 Jun 10;
http://www.elsevier.es/revistas/error404.jsp

Abstract:

The inclusion of the quadrivalent human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccine in the schedule of the Spanish National Health System sparked the debate over Gardasil((R)), which was presented to the public as a “vaccine against cervical cancer”. In this context, Sanofi Pasteur MSD was sued for misleading advertising in the campaign “cuentaselo.org”. Although the complaint was not admitted, the lawsuit triggered five changes in the ownership of the web domain which, although backed by scientific societies, was not supported by law. Because of the violation of the Law of the Society of Information Services, and prompted by the suspicion that the pharmaceutical company was behind these changes (as it could not advertise the product), the platform for the moratorium on the HPV vaccine filed a complaint against the Spanish Society of Gynecology and Obstetrics (whose logo appeared on the webpage) for breaching the code of advertising self-regulation. Sanofi Pasteur MSD, the advertiser which was not mentioned, “accepted the complaint and removed the webpage”, thus corroborating its involvement.