There are contraindications: Why drug advertising is unethical
Olga Lukinskaya
Medicines, including non-prescription, - controversial object for advertising; in some countries, advertising of drugs is very limited or requires coordination with special bodies. In Russia, too, there are regulations governing this area, but, as is often the case with laws, you can find a loophole in them: no one pays attention to the words “there are contraindications” quickly, and the requirements of the legislation are met. We understand how advertisers can mislead the public - and how to treat advertising drugs in magazines and on TV.
In most countries of Europe, advertising of OTC products in the media is allowed, but only for those drugs that are not compensated by the state - and this is important. In Spain, for example, the list of drugs paid for in the framework of the MLA is huge - and even for a prescription for banal paracetamol, it makes sense to go to the clinic to buy it not for five euros, but for three or four cents. In the US, advertising is allowed, but it implies strict coordination and detailed presentation of information on all possible effects: everyone who has ever flipped through the American gloss has seen almost complete instructions on the use of contraceptive pills, sometimes occupying three or four bands. Japanese generally consider drug advertising as the most important source of information: with the right approach, advertising may not be misleading, but enlighten.
Advertising of medicines in Russia is regulated by several laws, including 38-FZ "On Advertising" (Article 24. "Advertising of medicines, medical equipment, medical devices and medical services") and 122-FZ "On medicines" (Article 44. "Advertising of medicines"). The restrictions are quite strict: advertising of prescription drugs is completely prohibited, it is also forbidden to contact minors, present the drugs as unique and exceptional in terms of effectiveness or absence of side effects, and create the impression that it is unnecessary to go to a doctor. The problem is that after an emotional commercial, the phrase “expert advice is recommended” said in an even voice is perceived approximately as “the Ministry of Health warns” on cigarette packs — that is, in any way.
The advertising market for drugs and food additives in Russia in the first nine months of 2016 was estimated at about 250 billion rubles, which is about 10% of the entire advertising market in the country. It is important to understand that the budget allocated for advertising is not in itself an indicator of effectiveness, safety or even the scrutiny of a drug. On the one hand, the largest pharmaceutical advertiser last year was one of the leading companies in the world with almost a hundred thousand employees who develop and study the newest molecules for the treatment of serious and rare diseases (that is, OTC products are only a part of its business). On the other hand, in the second place in the advertising budget was a Russian company producing products whose effectiveness was not studied internationally.
Promotional videos strongly distort ideas about how our body works - and what happens to the medication in it.
Promotional videos strongly distort ideas about how our body works - and what happens in it with medicine. Everyone has seen videos about antifungal agents, which literally transform nails before our eyes, and cough syrups that miraculously fall into the lungs right from the mouth, bypassing the stomach. It is clear that advertising is not a lecture at the medical institute, but is it possible to simplify the situation to such an extent? Periodically scandals break out due to the inaccuracy of advertising, and pharmaceutical companies are fined - but can the already done damage correct it?
Low awareness of health and disease is supported by the habit of self-treatment through unscientific methods and the persistence of myths like the fact that, after sitting in the cold, you can chill the kidneys. The presence in pharmacies of some "consultants" without a pharmaceutical education does not improve the situation either - although we are still far from some countries in Africa and Latin America, where tablets can often be bought at the store in bulk, without packaging and instructions.
Of course, the problem is not only in advertising, but also in its perception - and in the lack of knowledge for independent decision-making. It seems strange to many of us that someone "bites" on television commercials - but since billions are invested in it, it means that it works. And, unfortunately, it can be misleading. While the law on the circulation of medicines has not been amended, homeopathy is officially considered to be a medicine, which means it can be advertised as a medicine. Perhaps the worst thing is that advertising encourages self-treatment, despite the recommendation to consult a doctor: go to the pharmacy and buy medicine easier and faster, especially since it often seems that it helps. The problem is that the same widely advertised remedies for heartburn do not cure the disease - and the doctor in consultation would tell you what needs to be done first of all to change eating habits, and to use tablets in rare cases.
Interestingly, with regard to prescription drugs that cannot be advertised in the media, manufacturers often provide detailed and reliable information in an accessible form. For example, there are sites for patients with malignant tumors or Crohn's disease, where you can learn about the disease itself, about the methods of its treatment, and about side effects. This information, the study of which takes time - and it, unlike a short commercial, enlightens. Perhaps the best version of "advertising" is informational leaflets with detailed data; The best perception of advertising, if you are interested in it, is to stop in time, think and search for reliable information.
Photo: Ratthaphon Bunmi - stock.adobe.com, Feng Yu - stock.adobe.com