Industry self-regulation "does not work"
Self-regulation of marketing activities by the pharmaceutical industry
does not work and the industry demonstrates little corporate social responsibility
(CSR), according to an international association of consumer groups.
Consumers International, which has a membership of 230 organisations from 113 countries, drew these conclusions after examining the activities of 20 pharmaceutical manufacturers in the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Portugal and Slovenia. In a report it asserted: “All relevant stakeholders, but particularly governments and the pharmaceutical industry, must act immediately to address the persistent roadblocks to consumer sensitive and socially responsible drug promotion.”
Examples of CSR that the organisation wants to see include public reporting of marketing budgets, staff composition and breaches of marketing codes with their associated sanction. It takes issue with non-specific promotional practices, such as providing health and illness information through pamphlets and magazine articles. CI calls this “nice and friendly marketing disguised as corporate social responsibility”.
It expresses particular concern over the operation of self-regulation among pharmaceutical companies.“Large numbers of serious, recent and repeated breaches of marketing codes were found, especially regarding prescription drug advertising,” it says. “The current regulatory framework is clearly insufficient to prevent systemic violations of marketing regulations and to ensure the highest possible level of consumer protection.”
An Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry spokesman said that the recently revised ABPI code of practice was a world standard code. “It [self regulation] certainly works in Britain,” he said. |
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