Drug advertising exempt from prescription in magazines: what is our reality?

Abstract

Over-the-counter (OTC) medicines are drugs with proven efficacy which you can buy without a prescription. The advertisement (printed media and radio/TV) of these medicines is regulated by resolution RDC no. 102 of 2000, complemented by RDC no. 96 of 2008, however, it was identified that the main concern of the pharmaceutical industries is the dissemination of the well-known beneficial effects of the medicines, without having to worry about the adverse effects they can cause. So, the objective of the present work was to seek and evaluate the OTC announces on magazines of national circulation, also aiming to identify   the relationship between the pharmaceutical industries marketing and the respect to of current medicaments publicity legislation. The present investigation is a study of a  descriptive  and exploratory  bibliographic review, conducted through a data surveys and  analysis of medicine advertisings. Ten magazines were reviewed, all of them had advertising materials of medicines, getting to the total of 14 pieces, they included anti-flu medications; calming medicine;  liver protector; antacids; headache; antiseptic;  menstrual cramps; improving blood circulation, violating the law, mainly the articles 08^th and 26^th (RDC n.96/2008). It has been observed that the advertisings impose a huge influence on a population, increasing mainly the use of over-the-counter medicines and, even it is covered by a specific legislation and fines are applied after the publication, the same mistakes of promotion material are sustained. It was found that there are two problems related to this situation: Additionally to the fact of the competent authorities are not properly monitoring the advertising pieces before their publishing, the marketing of the industries makes the medicine not more than a consumer product, without worrying  about the health e the importance of human development,  just aiming about the  financial returns.