What information is available on request from drug advertisers in India?

摘要

Drug advertisements rarely give complete information on the product, but advertisers usually offer to give more information on request. We studied how often this request is met and the quality of the information given. We studied 87 advertisements in a recent issue of the Monthly Index of Medical Specialities (MIMS-India). Fifty five advertisements offered some more information; in 31 cases further information was offered, in 16 full prescribing information, in two complete prescribing information, in one detailed prescribing information, and in five further details. We posted a standard letter demanding the offered information to the given address of the 26 pharmaceutical companies that had placed the 55 advertisements for 58 products. Non-responders were reminded in a letter with a certificate of posting after six weeks. Information for 31 products was received after the first letter within three to 35 days (average 20). For a further 13 products a reply was obtained after the reminder letter within four to 89 days (average 21). Information was not made available for the remaining 14 products.