World Consumer Rights Day 15th March 2007

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World Consumer Rights Day 15^th March 2007
The theme - Unethical Drug Promotion

Held on:	14th March,2007
Venue:	Commission Room, Illrd Floor, Federation House, FICCI, Tansen Marg, New Delhi.
Theme:	Unethical Drug Promotion
Conducted By:	VOICE

Chief Dignitaries
	Mrs. Sheila Dikshit Hon. Chief Minister of Delhi,	See Pictures of the event
	Shri Subodh Kant Sahay Hon. Minister of State (Independent Charge), Ministry of Food Processing Industries
	Hon. Justice (Retd.) M.B. Shah President NCDRC
	Hon. Justice J.D. Kapoor President State Commission, Delhi
	Shri Yashwant Bhave, IAS Secretary to the Govt. of India, Department of Consumer Affairs
	Shri L. Mansingh, IAS Former Secretary to the Govt. of India

World Consumer Rights Day 15th March 2007 will mark a day of action around Consumers International’s headline campaign: Unethical Drug Promotion.

Consumers are largely unaware of how their drug consumption choices are being shaped by corporate motives for gargantuan profits. This global campaign aims to hold governments and pharmaceutical corporations accountable for unethical drug promotion, marketing and advertising practices that are putting profit before consumer health.

What is drug promotion?

Drug promotion can take on many forms. Overt promotion, such as magazine advertisements, free product samples and visits to doctors by medical sales representatives are tried and tested methods of pushing new product lines.
However we are now also seeing more subtle, inconspicuous forms of promotion that, on the face of it, don’t appear to be promoting a product at all. The sponsoring of patient pressure groups, funding disease awareness campaigns and ‘ghost writing’ journal articles are just some of the ways in which Big Pharma are marketing their drugs.

Why is this marketing unethical?

Drug companies are moneymaking corporations just like any other: they exist to create a profit. The overarching aim of corporate drug promotion, therefore, is to increase profits by raising consumer demand for pharmaceutical products.

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