Psychiatrists support kiwis views on pharma advertising

The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of
Psychiatrists (RANZCP) commends New Zealanders and the
health sector on expressing a strong preference to ban
advertising of prescription medicine.

In a report recently
released by Consumer NZ, 57 per cent of New Zealanders
supported a ban on direct-to-consumer ads for prescription
medicines.

Dr Mark Lawrence, Chair of the RANZCP New
Zealand National Committee - Tu Te Akaaka Roa said he
was pleased with the findings of the Consumer NZ
report.

‘It’s good to learn the majority of Kiwis
would prefer to get their medicines information from an
independent health information source rather than from a TV
or magazine advertisement sponsored by a pharmaceutical
company.

‘The RANZCP considers direct-to-consumer
advertising of prescription medicines does more harm than
good and has no place in this country.

‘Medical
professionals have long been clear about their opposition to
this type of drug advertising, and this report shows that
New Zealanders also strongly disagree with this practice,’
Dr Lawrence said.

Dr Susanna Every-Palmer, Deputy Chair of
the New Zealand National Committee, emphasised that such
‘advertising does not support the principle of providing
patients with the best possible care.’

‘Psychiatrists
are committed to making clinical decisions based on the best
available evidence,’ Dr Every-Palmer continued.

‘The
public is right to be sceptical of information not provided
through an independent source and New Zealand is a real
outlier in letting this continue.

‘When the Ministry of
Health announced their review of the Medicines Act 1981, we
hoped to see the demise of direct-to-consumer
advertising.’

With the release of the Consumer NZ
report, the goal of implementing a ban on direct-to-consumer
advertising for prescription drugs appears one step closer
to becoming a reality.

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