AMA Backs Ban on Therapeutic Product Endorsements By Health Professionals

AMA President, Dr Mukesh Haikerwal, said that the AMA had written to the Therapeutic Goods Advertising Code Council late last year advocating the ban.

"We are pleased that the Government and the Council have acted so promptly on this matter," Dr Haikerwal said.

"This type of health endorsement by doctors is not in keeping with the spirit and intent of the doctor-patient relationship."

In its letter to the Therapeutic Goods Advertising Code Council, the AMA said that the practice of doctors advertising certain products gives greater credibility to those products in the eyes of patients. The credibility associated with the title 'doctor' may undermine the regular doctor-patient relationship by leading patients to undertake behaviour that may adversely affect their health, for example to:

• Seek or demand one particular product over another more effective product
• Seek or demand medication that they do not need at all, or
• Self-medicate - take medication to treat an ailment or condition without attending or consulting their doctor.

"It's very important for the professionalism of the medical profession to be maintained," Dr Haikerwal said.