New guidance on website advertising for medicines

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has developed advice for companies operating consumer websites about the rules governing the advertising of medicines. The MHRA wants to help companies to work within the parameters of the Medicines (Advertising) Regulations.

The guidance covers all websites registered in the UK or aimed at UK consumers which provide services that may lead to the prescription and/ or the supply of a prescription only medicine (POM). Examples include diagnosis and treatment services for erectile dysfunction or treatments for lines and wrinkles.

The guidance supplements the information in the Blue Guide (206Kb). Further advice on the legislation governing advertising of medicines is available from the Advertising Standards Unit at advertising@mhra.gsi.gov.uk.

The MHRA is issuing the guidance as a draft and welcomes comments from users on how helpful the guidance is in practice and on additional areas that should be covered. Comments and suggestions should be sent to advertising@mhra.gsi.gov.uk by 30 September 2008.