Healthy Skepticism Library item: 3113

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: book

Muller M.
The health of nations: a north-south investigation
: Faber and Faber 1982

Abstract:

(Limited to the parts dealing with promotion.) There is good evidence that there are double standards in promotion between developed and developing countries. The International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Associations claims that it is not in the best interest of companies to communicate misleading or inaccurate data and that competing manufacturers will detect it quickly and object. However, this defence ignores the fact that all manufacturers of a particular class of product have an interest in staying silent because if one raised objections the market for all would be affected. Companies also claim that disagreement among national regulatory authorities regarding the legal requirements for labeling causes differences in the amount of information that companies give. Where differences exist these are usually due to the lack of resources in the developing countries.

Keywords:
*analysis/developing countries/developed countries/quality of information/regulation of promotion/IFPMA/International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Associations/ regulatory authorities/ATTITUDES REGARDING PROMOTION: INDUSTRY/EVALUATION OF PROMOTION: COMPARISON BETWEEN DEVELOPING AND DEVELOPED COUNTRIES/PROMOTION AND HEALTH NEEDS: PROMOTION IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES/REGULATION, CODES, GUIDELINES: COMPLIANCE, SANCTIONS, STANDARDS/REGULATION, CODES, GUIDELINES: INDUSTRY SELF-REGULATION