Prescription products must not be promoted to the general public unless such activities are permitted by law. Any information provided must be accurate, balance, factual and not misleading or raising false hopes related to the product.
Where the companies need to interact with the general public, in responding inquiries, create disease awareness, provide educational message, etc such activities should adhere to the highest standards of accuracy and support the role of healthcare professionals.
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| 4.11.1
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General Inquiries Request from individual members of the public for information or advice on the company product, diagnosis of disease, choice of therapy or personal medical matters must always be refused and the inquirer directed to consult their doctor.
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| 4.11.2
| Media Release
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| 4.11.2.1
| A prescription product related media release issued by companies is not allowed by the Thai FDA; however, it is acceptable to respond to media inquiries. The information provided must be current, accurate and balanced. Information about the medicine must not encourage members of the public to ask their medical profession to prescribe a particular pharmaceutical product.
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| 4.11.2.2
| Company may supply information about a product to the lay press only where this is in the public interest or where the object is to communicate scientific or technical achievement. Such information should be presented in a balanced way to avoid the risk of raising unfounded hopes.
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| 4.11.2.3
| Product information should be released for lay publication only after the medical profession has been properly notified and following approval from the FDA if this is required by the Drugs Act (1967, 1979, and 1987).
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| 4.11.2.4
| Advertising of self medication products to the general public is excluded from the scope of the Code. However, should medicines regarded as ‘pharmaceutical products’ in most countries, be designated Non-Dangerous in Thailand, it is suggested that any lay promotional material should comply with the guidelines established for ‘pharmaceutical products’.
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| 4.11.2.5
| Intentional dissemination of information or hidden advertisement of dangerous medicines through radio disk jockey or television moderator is forbidden.
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| 4.11.3
| General Media Articles (Advertorial Articles) General media articles concerning specific prescription products must not be initiated by companies. However, information on medical conditions is allowed.
Companies should not attempt to encourage the publication of general media articles or their content with the aim of promoting their products, but may offer to provide educational material or review copy to ensure accuracy.
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| 4.11.4
| Patient Education
It is acknowledged that members of the general public should have access to information on medical conditions and the treatments which may be prescribed by their doctors. The purpose of such information should be educational and should encourage patients to seek further information or explanation from the appropriate healthcare professional.
In addition, the following criteria should be satisfied:
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| 4.11.4.1
| The educational material must be current, accurate and balanced.
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| 4.11.4.2
| The educational material should not focus on a particular product, unless the material is intended to be given to the patient by a healthcare professional after the decision to prescribe that product has been made.
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| 4.11.4.3
| Educational material may include descriptions of the therapeutic category, medical condition and a discussion of the relevant clinical parameters in general.
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| 4.11.4.4
| The educational material should include the advice “Please consult your physician” and the contact address and telephone number of the supplier of the material.
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| 4.11.4.5
| The educational material must include a statement directing the patient to seek further information about the condition or treatment from his/her doctor. Such statements must never be designed or made for the purpose of encouraging members of the public to ask their doctor to prescribe a product.
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| 4.11.4.6
| The tone of the message must not be presented in a way which unnecessarily causes alarm or misunderstanding in the community.
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| 4.11.4.7
| On all occasions the information, whether written or communicated by other means, must be presented in a balanced way so as to avoid the risk of raising unfounded hopes of a particular product.
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| 4.11.5
| Patient Aids Patient aids which are solely intended to provide information for the patient once a decision to prescribe that product has been made, may be product specific. The content of such material must be designed to assist with patient compliance by providing information which clarifies method of administration, precautions, and special instructions and like information. It must not make comparisons or include promotional claims.
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| 4.11.6
| Telephone Hotline and Website
A telephone “hotline” or “website” or other similar information service may be set up to provide general information useful to the public (e.g. deworming, travel, smoking cessation). Such services must be general and may not include any product promotional information or personal medical advice.
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| 4.11.7
| Direct Mailing
Direct mailing of product promotional materials from company to non-healthcare professionals is prohibited.
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| 4.11.8
| Patient Support Programs
Companies may arrange or participate in programs that support patients already prescribed a prescription-only medicine to improve positive health outcomes. To ensure that such activities are not considered as promotional programs, companies must ensure that any statements made or material provided to members of the general public are not promotional and cannot be considered as having the intention of promoting a prescription medicine to members of the general public.
Companies should ensure compliance with the following requirements if they are considering becoming involved in any patient support program:
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| Any payment for the work undertaken by a healthcare professional in such programs is commensurate with the work undertaken;
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| No incentives, other than material that will enhance positive health outcomes and compliance, are provided to patients to become involved in these program;
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| The program complies with all Thailand privacy legislation;
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| All information provided to patients must comply with Sections 4.11.4 and 4.11.5 of this code;
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| The data collected from these programs will not be used for any purpose other than to increase positive health outcomes and never for promotional activities; and
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| The duration of these programs is appropriate to the disease state treated by the product involved.
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| 4.11.9
| Discredit to, and Reduction of, Confidence in, the Industry
Activities with, or materials provided to members of the general public must never be such as to bring discredit upon, or reduce confidence in the pharmaceutical industry. Such activities would be seen as a Severe Breach of the Code of Conduct.
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