Data provided by the CRP Secretariat for the last two years in relation to complaints received about pre-approved advertisements reveal the following: In 2009 and 2010, following receipt of complaints, the CRP determined that a total of 35 preapproved advertisements were in breach of the Act, the Regulations or the Code. Table 1 summarises the nature of these breaches. Although a range of breaches were identified by the CRP, it is clear that the majority of breaches relate to unrealistic, misleading and unverified claims made in relation to the medicines. Table 1 – Pre-approved advertisements breaching the Act or the Code, determined by the CRP Section breached Number of advertisements in breach Section 4(2)(a) of the Code. 8 15 Must not be likely to arouse unwarranted and unrealistic expectations of product effectiveness. Section 4(2)(c) of the Code. 10 10 Must not mislead, or be likely to mislead, directly or by implication or through emphasis, comparisons, contrasts or omissions. Section 4(1)(b) of the Code. 8 7 Must contain correct and balanced statements only and claims which the sponsor has already verified. Section 6(3) of the Code. 6 2 Must contain the trade name of the goods; a reference to the approved/permitted indication(s) and where applicable, a list of ingredients or the following statement: “ALWAYS READ THE LABEL”. Section 4(5) of the Code. 3 2 Comparative advertisements must be balanced and must not be misleading or likely to be misleading, either about the therapeutic goods advertised or the therapeutic goods, or classes of therapeutic goods, with which it is compared. Section 4(2)(d) of the Code. 3 2 Must not abuse the trust or exploit the lack of knowledge of consumers or contain language which could bring about fear or distress. Section 5(2) of the Code. 2 3 Must not refer to serious forms of diseases, conditions, ailments or defects. Section 4(2)(b) of the Code. 2 2 Must not be likely to lead to consumers self-diagnosing or inappropriately treating potentially serious diseases. Section 4(4) of the Code. 1 3 Any scientific information in an advertisement should be presented in a manner that is accurate, balanced and not misleading.
Data provided by the CRP Secretariat for the last two years in relation to complaints received about pre-approved advertisements reveal the following: In 2009 and 2010, following receipt of complaints, the CRP determined that a total of 35 preapproved advertisements were in breach of the Act, the Regulations or the Code. Table 1 summarises the nature of these breaches. Although a range of breaches were identified by the CRP, it is clear that the majority of breaches relate to unrealistic, misleading and unverified claims made in relation to the medicines. Table 1 – Pre-approved advertisements breaching the Act or the Code, determined by the CRP Section breached Number of advertisements in breach Section 4(2)(a) of the Code. Must not be likely to arouse unwarranted and unrealistic expectations of product effectiveness. 8 15 Section 4(2)(c) of the Code. Must not mislead, or be likely to mislead, directly or by implication or through emphasis, comparisons, contrasts or omissions. 10 10 Section 4(1)(b) of the Code. Must contain correct and balanced statements only and claims which the sponsor has already verified. 8 7 Section 6(3) of the Code. Must contain the trade name of the goods; a reference to the approved/permitted indication(s) and where applicable, a list of ingredients or the following statement: “ALWAYS READ THE LABEL”. 6 2 Section 4(5) of the Code. Comparative advertisements must be balanced and must not be misleading or likely to be misleading, either about the therapeutic goods advertised or the therapeutic goods, or classes of therapeutic goods, with which it is compared. 3 2 Section 4(2)(d) of the Code. Must not abuse the trust or exploit the lack of knowledge of consumers or contain language which could bring about fear or distress. 3 2 Section 5(2) of the Code. Must not refer to serious forms of diseases, conditions, ailments or defects. 2 3 Section 4(2)(b) of the Code. Must not be likely to lead to consumers self-diagnosing or inappropriately treating potentially serious diseases. 2 2 Section 4(4) of the Code. Any scientific information in an advertisement should be presented in a manner that is accurate, balanced and not misleading. 1 3
advertising-framework-120529.docx