US drug industry's guidelines on advertising too limited, say critics
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《英国医生杂志》
In the face of growing support for tighter regulations on advertising directly to consumers, the US drug industry's trade association has released voluntary guidelines of its own.
However, the guidelines fall short of a proposal by the leader of the Republican Senate majority, Bill Frist, for a two year waiting period before any new drug can be advertised directly to consumers. In July Dr Frist told the Senate that "if drug companies don't clean up their act, I believe Congress will need to act in this."
The 15 point guidelines released by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), which are scheduled to take effect in January 2006, propose that signatories "should spend an appropriate amount of time to educate health professionals about a new medicine or a new therapeutic indication before commencing the first DTC advertizing." Bristol-Myers Squibb has opted for a one year waiting period and Pfizer six months.
The trade association will refer any complaints over compliance with the code to the sponsoring company. PhRMA says it will release "periodic" reports on the "the nature of the comments and the signatory companies' responses."
While Dr Frist said the guidelines should have "gone further," Rob Schneider, the director of a prescription drug reform project of the Consumers Union, said they were designed "to pre-empt Congress requiring the Food and Drug Administration to do significantly more on safety and transparency and consequently requiring more disclosure in any advertising."
"Legislation before the house proposes much tougher restrictions on new drugs and drugs with outstanding post-market approval studies that have not yet been completed," Mr Schneider said. A Food and Drug Administration spokesperson told the Washington Post that the agency would review its current policy on drug advertising. The American Medical Association was unavailable for comment.(Bob Burton)
However, the guidelines fall short of a proposal by the leader of the Republican Senate majority, Bill Frist, for a two year waiting period before any new drug can be advertised directly to consumers. In July Dr Frist told the Senate that "if drug companies don't clean up their act, I believe Congress will need to act in this."
The 15 point guidelines released by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), which are scheduled to take effect in January 2006, propose that signatories "should spend an appropriate amount of time to educate health professionals about a new medicine or a new therapeutic indication before commencing the first DTC advertizing." Bristol-Myers Squibb has opted for a one year waiting period and Pfizer six months.
The trade association will refer any complaints over compliance with the code to the sponsoring company. PhRMA says it will release "periodic" reports on the "the nature of the comments and the signatory companies' responses."
While Dr Frist said the guidelines should have "gone further," Rob Schneider, the director of a prescription drug reform project of the Consumers Union, said they were designed "to pre-empt Congress requiring the Food and Drug Administration to do significantly more on safety and transparency and consequently requiring more disclosure in any advertising."
"Legislation before the house proposes much tougher restrictions on new drugs and drugs with outstanding post-market approval studies that have not yet been completed," Mr Schneider said. A Food and Drug Administration spokesperson told the Washington Post that the agency would review its current policy on drug advertising. The American Medical Association was unavailable for comment.(Bob Burton)