E-drug: Direct-to-consumer ads and Internet (cont'd)
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I would like to congratulate Andy Grey on his excellent report which
was announced to e-drug by Candy Day on 22 June.
However I feel that his description of MaLAM's recommendations
about Direct to Consumer Advertising as "extreme" deserves
comment.
Firstly, it is common for people to reject extreme positions believing
that a moderate position is more likely to be correct. In logic this is
known as the fallacy of argument ad temperantiam. For example: A
says 2+2 = 4, B says 2+2 = 6 therefore 2+2 = 5.
We accept that our position on DTCA is stronger than the other
organisations mentioned in the report. However in a larger context our
position is not extremist.
Secondly, it is common to want governments to protect their citizens
from people whose activities harm others. For example: drunk driving.
That is not an extremist position.
Having looked at the evidence MaLAM has concluded that DTCA is
harmful. Consequently it is not extremist for us to advocate for strong
regulations.
If you do not agree that DTCA is harmful then we suggest you look at
the evidence.
As indicated in several of my contributions to e-drug, including the
most recent, we believe that the problem is not the drug companies
but the way that systems usually reward them only for increasing the
sales of more expensive drugs regardless of the impact on health care
outcomes. If better systems can be developed that reward drug
companies more for benefit than for harm then MaLAM would be able
to revise our position.
regards,
Peter
Dr Peter Mansfield
GP and consultant on marketing and quality use of medicines
Visiting lecturer, Universities of Adelaide, Flinders, South Australia,
Tasmania
Cardiovascular adviser, Adelaide Western Division of General Practice
Quality Use of Medicines Coordinator, Southern (Adelaide) Division of
General Practice
Primary author, Healthy Scepticism
Director, MaLAM (Medical Lobby for Appropriate Marketing)
MaLAM aims to protect compassionate scientific health care from
marketing
practices that may be detrimental to health.
peter.mansfield@flinders.edu.au
www.camtech.net.au/malam
PO Box 172 Daw Pk SA 5041 Australia
ph/fax +61 8 8374 2245
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