Pakistan bans advertising of spurious drugs: Are the advertising and media industries ready to swallow the bitter pill?

The Government of Pakistan has finally woken up to its responsibility to enforce a ban on advertising of spurious drugs. The Ministries of Health and Information have teamed up to take action in this respect and have announced their plans to tackle this public menace by involving the representative bodies of the media, including the All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS), Council of Pakistan Newspapers Editors (CPNE), Pakistan Broadcasters Association (PBA), Pakistan Advertising Association and Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA). In early 2006, the Supreme Court of Pakistan had taken suo moto notice of spurious drugs as a public interest issue, but as ever, the government's tardy response to an obvious problem epitomises its apathy towards public health hazards. But while we can all chuckle and indulge (yet again) in Government-bashing, what about the role the media has played--or not played in relation to this public menace? Clearly rubbishing the APNS Code of Ethics, the PTV Code of Advertising Standards and Practice, the PEMRA Ordinance and virtually any related legislation or self-regulatory mechanism that exists, the print and electronic media as well as the advertising agencies have shown scant respect for their responsibility to society. Whether its in the form of advertorials in the electronic media or print ads, advertising of spurious drugs is ubiquitous. As a former advertising man, I am at pain to see that the slide towards irresponsible corporate behaviour has been as swift and steep as it has. However, I do hope that the media and advertising industries in Pakistan can atone for its sins by working with stakeholders, including the government, to raise awareness about spurious drugs and the risks they pose. In a country where majority of the public turns to an unregulated health service market and where functional health literacy is very poor, spurious drugs pose a serious threat. I will soon be working with Marketing Association of Pakistan, Pakistan Advertising Association and the International Advertising Association (Pakistan Chapter) to run an advocacy campaign on Responsible Advertising, but I suspect that the best way to stop the spurious drug makers in their tracks--not publishing/running their ads--may prove too bitter a pill to swallow for a number of my colleagues.