Norway has regulations concerning labelling and use of generic names.
All drugs on the market shall have both trade name and generic name
on the label.
Our regulation concerning advertising of drugs states:
(my own translation of a small part of article 5)
'The following information shall always be included:
- drug name and name of active ingredient if the drug contains only
one active substance'. The regulation contains no guidelines for
compound products which may therefore considered exemtied. Until
recently, Norway had very few compund products, but they are now
unfortunately being introduced as we now follow the EU registration
procedure which has no general policy on restriction of such
products.
Until we decided to follow the EU laws and regulations last year, it
was not permitted to advertise on TV but this has now been changed.
Prepscription drugs for human use can only be advertised to
physicians, dentists and pharmacists and thus not on TV or in
non-professional magazines.
Kirsten Myhr
Otervn 72
9017 Tromsoe
Norway
Tel +47 77 67 65 96
Fax +47 77 64 48 31
E-mail myhr@telepost.no