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Healthy Skepticism Library item: 20132

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

Rankin P
Offensive to GPs
Australian Doctor 1999 Mar 1926


Full text:

Editor – The marketing gurus have struck again. I refer to the mass media campaign “acne can be cured” which contains the message “ask your doctor about seeing a skin specialist”.

I agree with the general thrust of the campaign that attempts to dispel the myths surrounding acne.

However, this ad campaign itself perpetuates the myth that GPs are little more than useless appendages attached to referral pads.

Every GP whom I have asked is deeply offended by the suggestion they are incapable of treating the 80% of the population that at some stage of their life will get acne.

Only a minority needs Roaccutane, and I am sure that our overworked dermatological colleagues do not want to be inundated by mildly spotty teenagers.

I plan to boycott Roche products until they modify or withdraw this kind of advertising.

 

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...to influence multinational corporations effectively, the efforts of governments will have to be complemented by others, notably the many voluntary organisations that have shown they can effectively represent society’s public-health interests…
A small group known as Healthy Skepticism; formerly the Medical Lobby for Appropriate Marketing) has consistently and insistently drawn the attention of producers to promotional malpractice, calling for (and often securing) correction. These organisations [Healthy Skepticism, Médecins Sans Frontières and Health Action International] are small, but they are capable; they bear malice towards no one, and they are inscrutably honest. If industry is indeed persuaded to face up to its social responsibilities in the coming years it may well be because of these associations and others like them.
- Dukes MN. Accountability of the pharmaceutical industry. Lancet. 2002 Nov 23; 360(9346)1682-4.