PhRMA's new DTC ad guidelines have been released and quickly panned by industry critics. The new guidelines -- pieced together after a growing chorus of complaints highlighted how drug advertising has spurred inappropriate use and higher costs -- amount to little more than suggestions on how a drug company should conduct itself when putting together a campaign. An initiative in Congress calling for a two-year ban on ads for new drugs was countered by an industry suggestion that an "appropriate" amount of time elapse between a drug's approval and a consumer ad campaign. PhRMA President Billy Tauzin has called the suggestion of mandatory restrictions on drug advertising a "human rights abuse."
A host of big drug companies, including Merck and AstraZeneca, immediately applauded the new, voluntary approach, often vowing to continue policies already in place.
- read this story [1] from Brandweek for more
PLUS: Ad execs say it's too soon to say what, if any, effect the new guidelines will have on the drug industry's $4 billion annual ad buy. Story [2]
Links:
[1] http://www.brandweek.com/bw/news/recent_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001002032
[2] http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/03/business/media/03adco.html