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LONDON - Four of the world's biggest pharmaceutical companies are looking at starting a TV station to promote their medicines directly to patients.
But one opponent is citing New Zealand's experience with drug advertising as a reason for blocking the move.
The Guardian reported that under the plan, the pharmaceutical industry would fund Pharma TV - a digital channel broadcasting detailed information about drug companies' products.
A pilot DVD, which the Guardian said it had viewed, showed a doctor talking about breast cancer and a woman patient, who tells viewers that "there are many new treatments available".
Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer, Novartis and Procter & Gamble are behind the plan, which is being proposed to the European Commission as part of a campaign to end a ban on direct-to-consumer advertising of medicinal drugs.
Drug companies say such a change would give patients more information and lead to increased competition.
But consumer-focused groups have voiced strong objections.
The International Society of Drug Bulletins - consumer publications which analyse the benefits of drugs and draw comparisons between them - said the industry was not a reliable source of trustworthy information.
It said that in the US and New Zealand, where drug companies are permitted to advertise to the public, it had been shown to be detrimental to health.
"Pharmaceutical companies' messages are focused on relatively few top sellers, exaggerating effects and concealing risks, confusing patients and putting pressure on doctors to prescribe drugs they would not use otherwise," it warned.
"Lack of comparative information in advertising means people cannot choose among several options."
-AAP
