Drug Advertising Regulation And Measures

Advertising is a rapid and effective way to publicize drug information. As for drug advertising, it is an effective way for consumers to know about drugs'therapeutic effectiveness and is also a common and an important means for drug producers and operators to promote drugs. Standard medical advertisements (ads) not only communicate real and useful drug information to consumers but also help doctors, pharmacists and patients to learn about the performance, purposes and features of drugs. In addition, drug ads also help people to select the right drugs needed and help the drug markets and drug sale to develop in a healthy manner. For drug ads, the Pharmaceutical Administration Law of the People's Republic of China and the Advertisements Law of the People's Republic of China have relevant provisions respectively. However, the current situation of China's drug advertising is not optimistic:illegal advertising is endless, resulting in waste of money, delay of patients' diseases, infringement of the consumers'right to know, misleading of consumers'drug choices, and even endangering their health and life. Illegal drug advertising has become a public hazard. Drug information asymmetry makes the illegal drug advertising more deceptive, seriously harms the legitimate rights and interests of the other honest drug operators, induces unfair competition, and seriously affects the construction of a harmonious society. Its harm is far more than the false advertising of the general commodities.The Phenomenon of illegal drug advertisements has attracted many international organizations and national governments'attention. For instance, the management of drug ads of the United States, Germany, France and other countries are more mature. They made a series of drug management laws and principles. In recent years, the high rates of illegal drug ads result in the frequent complaints of consumers. The supervision and management of drug ads are becoming hot and tough issues. It is urgent to solve these problems such as how to regulate drug advertising, how to enable the drug producers and operators to not only promote drug information but also avoid endangering the health and life of the public.