Of course our regulatory bodies like Health Canada and their ilk look the other way. Gee wiz I wonder why?
Guess who likes, influences and supports our regulatory bodies to enforce these rules?
See also: Myth in pharmaceutical advertising ads .
The study, carried out by the Institute for Evidence-Based Medicine, a private independent research institute in Cologne, evaluated 175 brochures containing information on 520 drugs, which were either sent by post or handed out to 43 GPs since last June. The study was published in this month's issue of the drugs bulletin Arznei Telegramm (2004;35:21-www.di-em.de/data/at_2004_35_21.pdf).
He points out that the advertising material presents distorted images of the drugs' profiles. The article lists several examples of misrepresentation: medical guidelines from scientific societies are misquoted or changed, the side effects of drugs are minimised, groups of patient are wrongly defined, study results are suppressed, treatment effects are exaggerated, risks are manipulated, and effects of drugs were drawn from animal studies.
Ÿ The German drug industry has decided to tighten the rules in its self regulatory code on relations between the industry and the medical profession with regard to cooperation in clinical studies and attendance at conferences that are funded by drug companies.
The German Association of Research Based Pharmaceutical Companies in Berlin announced that its members have set up an independent tribunal in Berlin. Members of the tribunal will be chosen by drug companies and doctors' and patients' groups but will not be elected representatives of those bodies. Like a court, the tribunal will be able to punish companies that break the rules, imposing fines of up to €50 000 (£34 000; $63 000) or, in the case of a second offence, up to €250 000. Anyone will be allowed to notify the tribunal of possible offences.