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A debate has begun in the UK about what constitutes direct-to-consumer
(DTC) advertising, and whether it should be permitted in
the country. Currently, no European Union nations allow
pharmaceutical companies to promote their drugs directly
to patients. At present in the UK, manufacturers can advertise
their products only in journals
for medical professionals.
Pharmacia
& Upjohn is one of the first pharmaceutical companies to
test the UK DTC environment. It ran a television campaign
in the autumn of 1999 to raise awareness of urinary incontinence,
for which it manufactures a leading product, Detrusitol.
The drug was not mentioned in the ads, which had 'Sponsored
by Pharmacia & Upjohn' at the bottom of the screen.
A print advertising run costing £3 million began in July
1999.
P&U
is not the first manufacturer to make such a move: Novartis
ran a similar campaign for fungal toenail infections, which
can be treated with its Lamisil product. Glaxo Wellcome
is also thought to be considering 'awareness' ads for the
smoking cessation product Zyban and its new flu drug
Relenza. But, many British doctors worry that such
campaigns represent the 'thin end of the wedge', and that
the National Health Service will be overwhelmed by demands
for treatments.P&U
was investigated by the UK's Prescriptions Medicines Code
of Practice Authority for a possible breach of drug promotion
laws, but was cleared. The PMCPA ruled that the campaign
covered general bladder problems, not just overactive bladder,
for which Detrusitol is approved. After receiving
a complaint from Roche, however, the PMCPA did rule that
Glaxo Wellcome had overstepped the mark with an ad for its
new HIV drug Combivir - the dosage regimen mentioned
in the ad could only have been achieved with Glaxo Wellcome's
drug.
Many
groups, however, are in favour of more relaxed laws, especially
if the ads improve the public's understanding of certain
illnesses. The Royal College of Nursing praised P&U's campaign
for helping to destroy the social stigma surrounding incontinence.
While
the pharmaceutical industry would welcome the chance to
advertise directly to the European public, in the near future
it seems unlikely. Former UK Secretary of Health Frank Dobson
reportedly said he would allow it "over my dead body".
However, European Commissioner Erkki Liikanen was quoted
as saying, "Global comparisons show Europe spends a relatively
large amount of its pharmaceutical budget on older pharmaceuticals.
Thus we must consider ways and means to enhance investment
in innovative new products by the pharmaceutical industry."
03 Feb 2000, Copyright IMS HEALTH
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