DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2016.v04i03.024

Pages: 744-749

The prime objective is to evaluate the scientific and ethical status of the drug promotional literatures (DPLs) available in Indian market using World Health Organization (WHO) criteria for ethical medicinal drug promotion. An observational, cross-sectional study was carried out in Department of Pharmacology, Sardar Patel Medical College, Bikaner, Rajasthan(India) from 1st July to 31st August 2015 to evaluate „120‟drug promotional literatures by WHO criteria. These randomly collected DPLs were also analysed for graphical presentation of data, pictorial content, types of claims and references cited in support of these claims. None of the drug promotional literatures fulfilled all the WHO criteria. Antimicrobial and cardiovascular agents were the most promoted drug groups. Majority of the literatures claimed about the efficacy, safety, pharmaceutical properties etc. and journal article references were most commonly used to support these claims. Literatures presenting irrelevant pictures were 30%, whereas only 9.8% of the DPLs mentioned about brief prescription information (BPI). The most neglected aspect of the drug promotion was the safety information i.e. information about adverse drug reactions, drug interactions, precautions and over dosage. This study highlights that WHO guidelines are not followed by the pharmaceutical industries while promoting their products. To make drug prescribing more effective, critical review of the drug promotional literatures is essential.