A Comparison of Drug Advertisement law between Lao People’s Democratic Republic and Thailand

Abstract

Introduction: One  factor contributing  to  inappropriate  drug  use  in  the  Lao  Peopleps Democratic Republic  (Laos) is  the comprehension  of laws  governed drug  advertisement. This  study aimed  to  compare  drug  advertisement  law  used  in  Laos  and  that  used  in  Thailand  to  identify  the opportunity for improvement (OFI) and propose recommendation for improvement. Methods: This is a documentary research, using content analysis technique to synthesize the results. Results: In Laos, drugs can  be  advertised  through  four channels:  (1) display  in  academic  conference  (2) disseminate information through electronic media radio and television (3) disseminate information through printing
materials (4) display in the market fair. New drugs are not allowed to advertise through channel (2) and  (3)  only.  In  Thailand,  new  drugs  are  allowed  to advertise  directly  to  medical  practitioners  only. Regulatory  authority  who  approves  the  drug  advertisement  in  Laos  is  the  Laos  Food  and  Drug
Department, Ministry of Health. In Thailand drug advertisement in television is approved by Thai Food and Drug Administration, Ministry of Public Health where drug advertisement on radio is approved by Provincial Health Office. The drug advertisement approvals in Laos are valid between one time and one year, where in Thailand each approval is valid for five years. In Laos, there is no list of diseases that do not allow for advertisement of the effectiveness of the drugs in curing the symptoms where in Thailand  drug  advertisement  in  some  diseases  is  not allowed.  In  Laos,  punishment  for  violation  of drug  advertisement  law  is  fining  where  in  Thailand the  punishment  composed  of  fining  and
imprisonment. Conclusion: Three points of the law governed drug advertisement in Laos that need an  improvement  were  found.  The  valid  duration  of  the  drug  advertisement  approval  should  be extended to longer than one year as it would prevent the entrepreneur from avoiding to apply for the approval.  New drug should be allowed to advertise only directly to medical practitioners in order to cut the channel to disseminate information of the drugs that do not have sufficient information about their  safety  to  consumers.  The  diseases  that  the  advertisement  of  the  effectiveness  of  drugs  in treating their symptoms must not be allowed should be listed.