OTC advertising restrictions removed
Rules that prevent the advertising of over-the-counter medicines for 13 conditions are to be scrapped on 30 June.
“Removing these restrictions on promoting non-prescription medicines
to the public has the potential to bring real public health benefits
by
giving more power and information to patients,” the Medicines and
Healthcare products Regulatory Agency said.
The change will make it possible to advertise Zocor Heart Pro (simvastatin)
when it is launched as a pharmacy medicine later this year.
The announcement, which has been welcomed by the Proprietary Association
of Great Britain, follows a consultation process launched at the end
of 2002 (PJ, 9 November 2002, p665)
There will be no change to the ban on advertising prescription medicines
to the public.
A European prohibition on the public advertising of medicines for a range
of serious conditions is to be removed next year. |
The
Pharmaceutical Journal
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