Dear Mr Fried,
The Nordic countries do not allow direct-to-consumer advertising. However, I
think increasingly the companies are using indirect ways, e.g. by
sponsoring, and even establishing, patient organisations (migraine,
rheumatic diseases, multiple sclerosis) which exerts a pressure on
politicians and authorities to have drugs registrered, refunded etc.
Manufacturers also use the media by getting journalists to write about drugs
in clinical trials etc. Lastly, with Internet up and going, it is impossible
to enforce restrictions. Recently I heard about a colleague in UK requesting
information about a drug not registered in the UK yet from the company and
was told that they were not allowed to give such information even to a
professional. On the Internet, however, all the information was freely
available to everyone!
Regards Kirsten Myhr
Ms Kirsten Myhr, MScPharm, MPH
Bygdoy Alle 58B
0265 Oslo
Norway
Tel: +47 22 56 05 85 (h)
Fax: +47 22 24 90 17 (w) Tel: +47 22 24 90 39 (w)
E-mail: myhr@online.no
or (w): kirsten.myhr@helsetilsynet.dep.telemax.no
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