The Indian Academy of Pediatrics (IAP) has made GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) to withdraw all its advertisements that were meant for the promotion of its hepatitis vaccine among the lay public. The company is known to have stopped all hepatitis A advertisements that have been carried in the print / electronic media and used for the outdoor campaigns across the country.

The decision came after IAP got the office of the Drugs Controller General of India write to GSK suggesting them to withdraw all advertisements that are directly / indirectly intended at promoting their vaccine. This was after, the company failed to respond to the requests made by the association in this regard some time back.

Speaking to Pharmabiz.com, Dr H P S Sachdev, president IAP informed that the association was against the unethical promotion of a Schedule H drug among the lay public. The advertisements carried out by GSK in the TV channels and newspapers were capable of creating a fear psychosis. The advertisements had no mention of the GSK brand, but the company was able to market the product once the public responded to the advertisement, he said.

After failing to persuade GSK to withdraw their advertisements, IAP had written to the Health Minister, Health Secretaries and the DCGI to ask the company to go back from their campaign. The advertisement didn't mention the name of the brand, and was technically within the stipulations of the law. This prevented the drugs control authorities from taking any action against the company. But with IAP's apprehension on the outcome of the campaign, the authorities wrote to GSK effecting the change.

Dr Sachdev said that the company officials have verbally informed IAP that they are withdrawing the advertisements. "I am yet to receive any written communication from either the health ministry or the company in this connection. After the verbal assurance, we have not seen any advertisements appearing in lay media. IAP will be compelled to renew its campaign against unethical promotion of the vaccine if it starts appearing again. As of now, the issue seems to be solved", he said.

IAP has been campaigning against the attempts of the companies to promote vaccination camps in schools for relatively unimportant diseases. "The companies have been seeking our assistance for all kinds of promotions. We have taken a stand to distance ourselves and oppose all unethical campaigns," Dr Sachdev said.