Contents of advertisements for pharmaceutical products in Vietnam must conform to the following regulations

According to Circular No. 09/2015/TT-BYT of the Ministry of Health of Vietnam, contents of advertisements for pharmaceutical products must conform to the following regulations:

1. Be consistent with documents stipulated in Clause 1 Article 3 of Decree No. 181/2013/NĐ-CP of Vietnam’s Government;

2. Provide sufficient information stipulated in Clause 2 Article 3 of Decree No. 181/2013/NĐ-CP and the following information:

- When advertising pharmaceutical products on books, newspapers, magazines and flyers, the information such as precautions, dosage and administration must be included;

- As for advertising of pharmaceutical products on audio and video news, the contents defined in Clause 3 Article 3 of Decree No. 181/2013/NĐ-CP, indications, contraindication or warnings to special users, must be clear in order for audiences to hear or read in a sufficient and explicit manner;

- Advertisements aired on online newspapers, electronic information pages and advertising screens:

+ Sound advertisement contents must include information pieces which are the same as advertisements aired on audio and video news;

+ Non-sound advertisement contents must include information pieces which are the same as advertisements aired on books, newspapers, magazines and flyers;

If there are many advertising pages/shots, these pages/shots should be in steady motion, or paused deliberately in order for viewers to read all information conveyed on that page; pages or shots displaying product information should be unanimated without any movement in order for viewers to carefully read such information.

3. Pharmaceutical advertisement contents by means of outdoor means must include all necessary information stipulated in Clause 4 Article 3 of Decree No. 181/2013/NĐ-CP;

4. Indications prevented from being included in a pharmaceutical advertisement content shall comprise:

- Indications stipulated in Clause 5 Article 3 of Decree No. 181/2013/NĐ-CP;

- Indications of curing viral hepatitis and strange diseases currently emerging.

5. Information or images banned for use in the pharmaceutical advertising shall include:

- Information or images stipulated in Clause 6 Article 3 of Decree No. 181/2013/NĐ-CP;

- Overstatement of pathological conditions or effects of a pharmaceutical product;

- Images of animals or plants defined in the list of protected animals or plants;

- Information, images likely to make consumers believe that consultation with doctors before using the pharmaceutical product is not important; the pharmaceutical product is absolutely harmless to consumers; there are no side effects or contraindications; and the pharmaceutical product is 100% effective.

View more details at Circular No. 09/2015/TT-BYT of the Ministry of Vietnam, effective from July 16, 2015.

Le Hai

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