| Abstract [eng] |
Title: Assessment of Direct-to-consumer Television Advertisements for Medications in The Context of Current Legislation. Aim of the study:To assess the compliance of direct-to-consumer advertising of medicines on the most popular commercial channels in Lithuania with the current legal framework. Objectives:1)To analyze the main characteristics and peculiarities of medicines advertisements broadcast on the most popular Lithuanian commercial channels. 2)Identify the most common features of advertising of medicinal products broadcast on the most popular commercial channels in Lithuania and possible inconsistencies with the current legal framework. 3)To analyze and, based on expert opinion, assess the problems, solutions, and violation management processes of advertising of medicinal products on the most popular Lithuanian commercial channels. Materials and methods: The first step is a review of the scientific literature on the topic. The study uses a qualitative approach, first analysing legal documents, then using indirect observation to analyse the advertisements, followed by semi-structured expert interviews. A content analysis method is used to analyse the data obtained. Participants: The expert selected for the study is a person working for the State Medicines Control Authority under the Ministry of Health of Lithuania. Results: The study identified criteria based on the requirements set out in the legislation of the Republic of Lithuania, which were met and/or not met by the advertisements for medicinal products broadcast on commercial channels in Lithuania, and identified the frequency of non-compliance. The most frequent infringements and the topics of control of advertising of medicinal products were also highlighted. Conclusions: 1) After studying and analysing the advertisements for medicines which are broadcast on the most popular commercial channels in Lithuania, it can be stated that one of the most important aspects of advertising a medicine is the packaging of the medicine and its demonstration, in order for the recipient of the advertisement to remember the advertised medicine and to come to the pharmacy to buy it. Advertisements for medicines take up around 5% of total airtime, the average length of an advertisement is 22 seconds, and most often include a depiction of the medicinal product, with additional depictions of a person, a place of action or a combination of both. 2)The legislation of the Republic of Lithuania defines in some detail the requirements to be complied with by sponsors of television advertising of medicinal products. The empirical study and the analysis of the compliance of medicinal product advertisements with the legal framework show that the vast majority of advertisements meet the requirements of the existing legal framework. However, there are some advertisements that do not meet the requirements or do not fully meet them. For example, therapeutic indications or references that are mandatory for advertising products belonging to a particular group of medicinal products are not mentioned. In another case, the references are given in the wrong form - they are given only in written form when it is required that they be given in both written and audible form. 3)According to the expert who took part in the study, the situation in Lithuania with medicines advertising is not bad: the incidence of problems is quite low, and in most cases, if inconsistencies are found and the advertiser is informed, the inconsistencies are corrected. The measures taken in the country to control advertising are quite effective, as the control process usually involves active participation not only of the State Medicines Control Authority but also of competitors. Another problem which, according to the expert, is not being addressed in any way is the ethics of pharmaceutical advertisements, which are clearly unethical but comply with all legal requirements. |
