Quality of claims, references and the presentation of risk results in medical journal advertising: a comparative study in Australia, Malaysia and the United States

Quality of claims, references and the presentation of risk results in medical journal advertising: a comparative study in Australia, Malaysia and the United States

Background Journal advertising is used by pharmaceutical companies to disseminate medicine information to doctors. The quality of claims, references and the presentation of risk results in Australia and the US has been questioned in several studies. No recent evidence is available on the quality...

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Main Authors: Othman, Noordin, Vitry, Agnes I., Roughead, Elizabeth E.
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC Central 2010
Subjects:
RA Public aspects of medicine
Online Access:http://irep.iium.edu.my/1914/
http://irep.iium.edu.my/1914/
http://irep.iium.edu.my/1914/1/Public_Health_Othman_Noordin_Claims_Risk%20results_references_journal_advertising.pdf
id iium-1914
recordtype eprints
spelling iium-19142011-09-12T08:45:27Z http://irep.iium.edu.my/1914/ Quality of claims, references and the presentation of risk results in medical journal advertising: a comparative study in Australia, Malaysia and the United States Othman, Noordin Vitry, Agnes I. Roughead, Elizabeth E. RA Public aspects of medicine Background Journal advertising is used by pharmaceutical companies to disseminate medicine information to doctors. The quality of claims, references and the presentation of risk results in Australia and the US has been questioned in several studies. No recent evidence is available on the quality of claims, references and the presentation of risk results in journal advertising in Australia and the US and no Malaysian data have been published. The aim of this study was to compare the quality of claims, references and the presentation of risk results in journal advertising in these three countries. Methods A consecutive sample of 85 unique advertisements from each country was selected from journal advertising published between January 2004 to December 2006. Claims, references and the presentation of risk results in medical journal advertising were compared between the three countries. Results Less than one-third of the claims were unambiguous claims (Australia, 30%, Malaysia 17%, US, 23%). In Malaysia significantly less unambiguous claims were provided than in Australia and the US (P < 0.001). However, the unambiguous claims were supported by more references than other claims (80%). Most evidence was obtained from at least one randomized controlled trial, a systematic review or meta-analysis (Australia, 84%, Malaysia, 81%, US, 76%) with journal articles being the most commonly cited references in all countries. Data on file were significantly more likely to be cited in the US (17%) than in Australia (2%) and Malaysia (4%) (P < 0.001). Advertisements that provided quantitative information reported risk results exclusively as a relative risk reduction. Conclusions The majority of claims were vague suggesting poor quality of claims in journal advertising in these three countries. Evidence from a randomized controlled trial, systematic review or meta- analysis was commonly cited to support claims. However, the more frequent use of data that have not been published and independently reviewed in the US compared to Australia and Malaysia raises questions on the quality of references in the US. The use of relative rather than absolute benefits may overemphasize the benefit of medicines which may leave doctors susceptible to misinterpreting information. BMC Central 2010-10 Article PeerReviewed application/pdf en http://irep.iium.edu.my/1914/1/Public_Health_Othman_Noordin_Claims_Risk%20results_references_journal_advertising.pdf Othman, Noordin and Vitry, Agnes I. and Roughead, Elizabeth E. (2010) Quality of claims, references and the presentation of risk results in medical journal advertising: a comparative study in Australia, Malaysia and the United States. BMC Public Health, 10 (294). pp. 1-8. ISSN 1471-2458 http://www.biomedcentral.com/content/pdf/1471-2458-10-294.pdf
repository_type Digital Repository
institution_category Local University
institution International Islamic University Malaysia
building IIUM Repository
collection Online Access
language English
topic RA Public aspects of medicine
spellingShingle RA Public aspects of medicine
Othman, Noordin
Vitry, Agnes I.
Roughead, Elizabeth E.
Quality of claims, references and the presentation of risk results in medical journal advertising: a comparative study in Australia, Malaysia and the United States
description Background Journal advertising is used by pharmaceutical companies to disseminate medicine information to doctors. The quality of claims, references and the presentation of risk results in Australia and the US has been questioned in several studies. No recent evidence is available on the quality of claims, references and the presentation of risk results in journal advertising in Australia and the US and no Malaysian data have been published. The aim of this study was to compare the quality of claims, references and the presentation of risk results in journal advertising in these three countries. Methods A consecutive sample of 85 unique advertisements from each country was selected from journal advertising published between January 2004 to December 2006. Claims, references and the presentation of risk results in medical journal advertising were compared between the three countries. Results Less than one-third of the claims were unambiguous claims (Australia, 30%, Malaysia 17%, US, 23%). In Malaysia significantly less unambiguous claims were provided than in Australia and the US (P < 0.001). However, the unambiguous claims were supported by more references than other claims (80%). Most evidence was obtained from at least one randomized controlled trial, a systematic review or meta-analysis (Australia, 84%, Malaysia, 81%, US, 76%) with journal articles being the most commonly cited references in all countries. Data on file were significantly more likely to be cited in the US (17%) than in Australia (2%) and Malaysia (4%) (P < 0.001). Advertisements that provided quantitative information reported risk results exclusively as a relative risk reduction. Conclusions The majority of claims were vague suggesting poor quality of claims in journal advertising in these three countries. Evidence from a randomized controlled trial, systematic review or meta- analysis was commonly cited to support claims. However, the more frequent use of data that have not been published and independently reviewed in the US compared to Australia and Malaysia raises questions on the quality of references in the US. The use of relative rather than absolute benefits may overemphasize the benefit of medicines which may leave doctors susceptible to misinterpreting information.
format Article
author Othman, Noordin
Vitry, Agnes I.
Roughead, Elizabeth E.
author_facet Othman, Noordin
Vitry, Agnes I.
Roughead, Elizabeth E.
author_sort Othman, Noordin
title Quality of claims, references and the presentation of risk results in medical journal advertising: a comparative study in Australia, Malaysia and the United States
title_short Quality of claims, references and the presentation of risk results in medical journal advertising: a comparative study in Australia, Malaysia and the United States
title_full Quality of claims, references and the presentation of risk results in medical journal advertising: a comparative study in Australia, Malaysia and the United States
title_fullStr Quality of claims, references and the presentation of risk results in medical journal advertising: a comparative study in Australia, Malaysia and the United States
title_full_unstemmed Quality of claims, references and the presentation of risk results in medical journal advertising: a comparative study in Australia, Malaysia and the United States
title_sort quality of claims, references and the presentation of risk results in medical journal advertising: a comparative study in australia, malaysia and the united states
publisher BMC Central
publishDate 2010
url http://irep.iium.edu.my/1914/
http://irep.iium.edu.my/1914/
http://irep.iium.edu.my/1914/1/Public_Health_Othman_Noordin_Claims_Risk%20results_references_journal_advertising.pdf
first_indexed 2023-09-18T20:09:27Z
last_indexed 2023-09-18T20:09:27Z
_version_ 1777407379499909120

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