Abstract

The 1968 Medicines Act for the first time required manufacturers to provide doctors with standard information on their products. Manufacturers have had to do this since last March, but only for products advertised through the mail, or by a representative. The Department of Health which was responsible for drafting the Act and has to enforce it, regards advertising in journals as exempt from the requirement. The wording of the Act is however open to another interpretation, for a manufacturer or his agent who asks a publisher to print an advertisement in a journal is thereby requesting the advertisement to be sent to all the subscribers. No manufacturer would wish to advertise in a journal unless it was sent to practitioners.