The Situation of Radio Advertisement of Drug and Food Claimed as Drug in Phraibueng Municipality, Sisaket Province.

Abstract

Introduction: There is a tendency for consumption expenditure to increase when compared to Western developed countries.One of the factors is that people buy medicine from grocery shops without a doctor’s prescription which is influenced by pharmaceutical description and information given via radio broadcasting. Methods: This study conducted cross-sectional surveys by recording audio information broadcast on 8 FM wavelength in Phraibueng Municipality. For each station chosen, all programs were tape-recorded on the basis of two-day station recording. Content analysis was used to analyze in detail the contents of advertisements especially on drug and food claimed as drug. Details regarding frequency, pattern of advertisement, claims, warning messages, administration procedures, were focused on to show the situation of these advertisements and magnitude and profile of false and or misleading advertisement content. Results: This study found that 25 products were advertised. The majority (68%) of products were drug product. เท regarding to frequency of advertisements, food advertising (62.45%) was more frequent than drug (37.55%). For the pattern of advertising, it was found that 62.45% of the advertisements were spot advertising which used to open during regular radio advertising breaks, 25.30% involved a DJ advertising the products. According to the correction of content, based on the Compilation of Laws on Drug in 1967 it was found that the number of advertisements with false and exaggerating description was 50%. According to the Compilation of Laws on Food in 1979, it was found that 100% of these advertisements were presented with misleading advertisement content, as claimed as pharmaceutical properties. Conclusion: This study pointed out that both the FDA and provincial health offices should be find the cooperation from stakeholder to reduce these problems, as well as try to strengthen the monitoring system of drug and food advertisements.