Healthy Skepticism Library item: 20075

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: Magazine

Fleming K
Study finds potential software ad breaches
Medical Observer 2005 July 228

Full text:

Drug advertising on GP prescribing software could be making misleading and unsubstantiated claims, a public health expert has warned.

A study published in the MJA claimed 95% of 60 advertisements breach the Medicines Australia code of conduct, prompting new calls for a ban on software ads.

The researchers, led by La Trobe University public health professor Dr Ken Harvey, examined 60 ads making a promotional claim. Of those 57 were judged to be in breach for omitting information, illegible generic names and unsubstantiated claims, among other problems.

Dr Harvey said the advertising also influenced prescribing by promoting expensive drugs, leading to PBS blowouts.

Medical Director owner Health Communication Network (HCN) had previously denied the software ads had breached the code.

Primary Health Care now owns HCN, and Primary managing director Dr Edmund Bateman said in a recent letter to GPs’ choice of brand, rather than encouraging excessive or inappropriate use.

In an MJA editorial Associate Professor Tilman Ruff, of the University of Melbourne, and Melbourne GP Dr Hadia Haikal-Mukhtar said fines under the code were insufficient to discourage breaches and needed to be dramatically increased. Fines could reach $200,000, but they said the 2003-04 average fine was $17,083.

Professor Ruff said a cap on advertising budgets also deserved serious consideration because the pharmaceutical industry spent huge amounts which could otherwise go into developing new medications,

Medicine Australia spokesperson Deborah Monk said the code was being revised and changes to the sections dealing with ads on prescribing software were being considered.