Russia Warns Western Firms Over Drug Ads

The Russian authorities have revealed plans to deal with "excessive"advertising of pharmaceuticals, especially on television, plus "uncontrolled" over-the-counter distribution of drugs including prescription items and the wide variety of prices being charged for the same drugs throughout the country.

Drug advertising is more effective in Russia than in other countries, Elena Volskaya, a member of Russia's National Ethical Committee, told Euroforum's annual conference on pharmaceuticals and health care in Russia and its regions, held in Moscow this month. This is because of its tradition of publishing scientific and medical research in the mass media. Advertisers have plugged into this popular interest, and then, more recently, there has been an "explosion" in television advertising, which accounted last year for 92% of all direct drug advertising. This level of spending is well-justified, she said; a 1996 poll by the Russian Financial Academy found that the most important factor for pharmacists in choosing which products to stock was the availability of advertising and promotional support. New drugs become very popular entirely as a result of promotion and marketing, she said.

However, a study in St Petersburg also found that 70% of people obtaining drugs OTC had learned about them from advertising, and that 50% knew nothing about the products' side effects and contraindications, she said.