Healthy Skepticism Library item: 20077

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
More software ads under new scrutiny
Medical Observer 2005 Aug 128

Full text:

New concerns have been raised about ads on GPs prescribing software Medical Director, after Medicines Australia revealed some ads on a second version could be breaching its code of conduct.

Last month seven ads on version 2.81 of Medical Director – used by an estimated 85% of GPs – were found to breach the code, some by making misleading or unsupported claims (Medical Observer, 22 July).

Now ads on a more recent version (2.83) are in question, after Medicines Australia’s monitoring committee found “some advertisements were not wholly compliant”.

A complaint by La Trobe University public health lecturer Dr Ken Harvey sparked the first investigation, which found some ads’ claims were based on limited studies or lacked supporting references.

It is understood the latest possible breaches included new ads and some previously found in breach that had not yet been changed.

Last week Medicines Australia spokesperson Deborah Monk said the pharmaceutical companies were unlikely to be referred to the independent committee that determined breaches and penalties if ads in question were changed or proof was given that there was no violation.

It is their responsibility to ensure ads comply with the code. If they don’t they could be fined up to $200,000 and/or be required to withdraw their ad.

Ms Monk said none of the possible breaches required immediate withdrawal or referral.

It was not known which ads were under scrutiny or if they appeared on Medical Director version 3, released last week.

Meanwhile, Medicines Australia will put a proposal to the federal government for a “medical savings account” to cut health costs, by encouraging patients to use fewer and cheaper treatments.

Medicines Australia chairman Will Delaat proposed the accounts, which workers would contribute to and use for health and medical expenses. Making patients pay would discourage overuse that could occur in a free healthcare system, according to a report released by Mr Delaat.