BMJ  2006;332:1469 (24 June), doi:10.1136/bmj.332.7556.1469-a

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Canada may be forced to allow direct to consumer advertising

Victoria, British Columbia

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

The Canadian government will respond this week to a lawsuit brought by one of the country's biggest media companies. The company is claiming that it should have the right to carry drug advertisements that are aimed directly at consumers.

If CanWest wins, Canadians will be subjected to advertisements for prescription drugs like this one from US Cosmopolitan

 

CanWest Global Communications, which owns most of Canada's major daily newspapers, a major television channel, and cable TV channels, launched a court case last December challenging Canadian federal law that bans US-style advertisements for prescription drugs. It says that the current law discriminates against its business interests and is ineffective.

If the company wins, Canadians may well be subjected to the same volume of drug advertising that their neighbours south of the border experience.

The Canadian government has to file its response to the lawsuit by 30 June.

Currently drug companies in Canada . . . [Full text of this article]

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