Category Archives: health & medical marketing

Advertising a prescription medicine to the general public: what’s going on?

May 7, 2012 – 6:16 pm

This full-page ad ran in yesterday’s Sunday Telegraph. There has been some chat on the Australian Healthcare Communicators Network to the effect that this looks very much like direct to consumer advertising (access for those on LinkedIn). The Medicines Australia Code of Conduct, edition 16: states that: 12.1 General principles The promotion of products covered by [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Also posted in Media-related issues, pharmaceutical industry | Tagged , | Comments (5)

McDonald’s programming gets roasted

April 3, 2012 – 6:17 pm

According to The Australian: “The McDonald’s advertiser-funded program on Seven won its 9.30pm timeslot last night with an average audience of 761,000. The fast food giant paid for“McDonald’s Get Grilled” to be produced by independent house WTFN and Seven scheduled the show despite it being a thinly-veiled advertisement…” According to Mumbrella: “A show about and [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Also posted in Food, Media-related issues, obesity, public health | Tagged , , , | Comments (2)

Do journalists actually read the research they’re reporting on?

April 2, 2012 – 4:12 pm

Continuing the media-related theme of the previous post… Rather than simply sending out press releases to promote new research articles and publications, it would be better if universities, research institutions and journals sent the full articles to journalists. That is the suggestion of informal surveys of journalists that have been conducted in the UK and [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Also posted in evidence-based issues, health and medical research, Media-related issues | Tagged , , , , , | Comments (4)

Media coverage of genetic technologies is of variable quality, and here is how it could be improved

March 19, 2012 – 11:24 am

The latest update from Media Doctor Australia examines media coverage of new technologies for diagnosis and treatment of genetic disorders, and makes some recommendations to help journalists. *** Some tips for covering genetic testing and treatment technologies Adam Carroll writes: BREAKTHROUGH DIAGNOSIS; GENETIC SCREEN; RARE DISORDER; NEW HOPE: great words to capture attention and entice [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Also posted in cancer, evidence-based issues, genetics, Media Doctor Australia, Media-related issues | Tagged , , | Comments (0)

Introducing a new watchdog for alcohol marketing

March 19, 2012 – 10:41 am

Relying on the alcohol industry to regulate alcohol marketing does not work. It’s time for a new approach, writes Rebecca Johnson, policy advisor with Cancer Council Western Australia. She invites Croakey readers to contribute to the Alcohol Advertising Review Board (AARB), which was launched last week. *** Alcohol marketers now face scrutiny by an independent [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Also posted in alcohol, health regulation, public health, Youth health | Tagged , , , | Comments (0)

Is the TGA out to lunch? Ken Harvey on the weight loss pill that lets you “have the cake without the calories”

February 23, 2012 – 8:48 pm

The Therapeutic Goods Administration’s response to concerns about the marketing of a weight-loss pill, which lets you “have the cake without the calories”, suggests that the many reviews and promises of reform have not resulted in real change at the much-critiqued organisation, according to Dr Ken Harvey, Adjunct Assoc Prof of Public Health at La Trobe University. [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Also posted in complementary medicines, health regulation, TGA | Tagged , , | Comments (0)

Fat Free TV: helping families reduce junk food viewing

February 1, 2012 – 12:39 pm

The British Heart Foundation recently released a report documenting how food companies are marketing unhealthy foods to children online, using tactics such as free games, gifts and downloads, fun characters and social networking sites. The report is called: The 21st century gingerbread house: How companies are marketing junk food to children online. It’s good to [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Also posted in child health, Media-related issues, obesity, public health | Tagged , , , , | Comments (0)

A call for regulatory action on unregistered health practitioners

January 24, 2012 – 7:52 pm

An ACCC investigation into breast imaging highlights broader concerns about a lack of regulation of unregistered health practitioners, writes Rebecca Johnson, Policy Advisor, Cancer Council Western Australia. *** Why are health regulators leaving the heavy lifting to the ACCC? Rebecca Johnson writes: Early in January, the ACCC launched legal proceedings  against two commercial breast imaging [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Also posted in cancer, health regulation, public health, quality and safety of health care, screening | Tagged , , , | Comments (3)

The latest wrap of health and medical reading at The Conversation

November 11, 2011 – 7:40 pm

Thanks to Fron Jackson-Webb from The Conversation for providing this latest wrap of  health and medical news. The stories below cover pharma industry lobbying, the pokies debate, and plenty more… *** The tricks companies use to get over-priced drugs on the PBS By Thomas Faunce, ARC Future Fellow at Australian National University: Boehringer Ingelheim, manufacturer of [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Also posted in childbirth and maternity services, gambling, men's health, mental health, obesity, pharmaceutical benefits scheme, pharmaceutical industry, pharmacy, public health, women's health | Comments (0)

The potential pitfalls of special deals between media and pharma

November 2, 2011 – 10:40 am

Further to recent discussions about Medicines Australia’s sponsorship of The Health of the Nation series in The Australian, Dr Tim Woodruff investigates some of the wider issues raised by the industry’s marketing campaign. *** Why the arrangement gives cause for concern Tim Woodruff writes: The problem is not the content. The problem is the future. [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Also posted in conflicts of interest, pharmaceutical industry | Tagged , , , | Comments (1)