UK Drug Ads/Promo On The Internet

The current issue of the UK Medicines Control Agency's MAIL publicationreminds companies that it is an offense to advertise prescription-only medicines to the public on the Internet, or to use it for advertising unlicensed drugs or unlicensed indications for licensed products.

These prohibitions are contained within the Medicines (Advertising) Regulations 1994 and the Medicines (Monitoring of Advertising) Regulations of 1994, which implement European Union Directive 92/28/EEC. Moreover, the Codes of Practice for POM and over-the-counter medicines administered by the Prescription Medicines Code of Practice Authority and the Proprietary Association of Great Britain apply to the Internet, and are being updated to state this explicitly, it says.

MAIL notes that as global controls on Internet activities relevant to drugs are required, where necessary, to protect public health, the MCA is working with other regulatory authorities and participating in the World Health Organization Working Group on cross-border advertising, promotion and sale of medicinal products via the Internet.