The only reason that prescription meds are advertised in New Zealand (US and NZ are the only countries in the world that allow direct to consumer pharma marketing) was because the US strong-armed it into a trade agreement.
According to two medical professionals from the Department of Public Health and General Practice, University of Otago, Christchurch, New Zealand and writing in theBMJ
Industry funded patient information and the slippery slope to New Zealand
In New Zealand and the US, the only two developed countries that allow direct to consumer advertising of prescription medicines, opposition has grown steadily from both the public and doctors. New Zealand's health system is much closer to those in Europe than the US system. So what can we learn from its experience?
Rise of advertising
Unlike most other developed countries, New Zealand never enacted pre-emptive legislation to prevent direct to consumer advertising.
The adverts started appearing in the early 1990s, and steadily increased.
But the US Food and Drugs Administration relaxation of regulatory requirements for broadcast advertising in 1997, unleashed an explosion in both the US and New Zealand.
Last year drug companies spent over $5bn (£2.5bn; €3.6bn) on direct to consumer advertising in the US and tens of millions of dollars in New Zealand.
It was as much absence of barriers to entry as it was a strong armed entry.
But looking now I'm also seeing "due to heavy lobbying by the pharma industry, including the US pharmaceutical companies" as to why it hasn't been shut down. But I stand corrected.
Wow - I always wondered why our good lefty country had those. Personally I find those adverts disgusting even though I'm business friendly and respect some of the outputs of pharma.
