Drug industry to fight New Zealand's move to ban direct to consumer advertising

Moves by New Zealand's health minister, Annette King, to end advertising directly to consumers later this year by “harmonising” with Australian government standards has drawn opposition from the drug industry.

In December 2003 New Zealand and Australia signed a treaty to establish a single bi-national agency to regulate medicines, medical devices, and complementary health products on 1 July 2005 (2004;328:68). The text of the treaty was tabled in both parliaments in late March and is subject to review by parliamentary committees. Supporting documentation identified direct to consumer advertising as one of the differences where efficiencies could be made. …