Petitpas Taylor calls on pharma to halt opioid marketing until new rules set
Health Minister Ginette Petitpas Taylor is calling on opioid manufacturers and distributors to “immediately cease” any opioid marketing activities in Canada temporarily, until the government figures out new rules for the industry.
“I am calling on industry to act now and stop their marketing activities associated with these products in Canada,” she said, requesting they stop on a voluntary basis.
Health Canada announced Tuesday it plans to “severely restrict most forms of prescription opioid marketing” by pharmaceutical companies to medical professionals.
The department said in a release that new rules are necessary so marketing by drug companies doesn’t “unduly influence” health professionals and lead to the over-prescription of opioids.
“Evidence suggests that the marketing and advertising of opioids have contributed to increased prescription sales and availability of opioids,” a Health Canada backgrounder said.
Industry marketing can range from ads in medical journals and educational programming to gifts such as free medical textbooks or meals and other promo items.
The department didn’t suggest how it plans to go about reining in marketing practices — only that it’s launching a month-long consultation period.
