221 - Reading Q&A section, I understand that advertising to HCPs, although voluntary, falls under PAAB. Where would we go to clear advertising to the consumer? I usually work with food, so it is new for me to work with NHPs and I would like to do this correctly. Thank you.
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Pre-clearance for healthcare professional (HCP) advertising of healthcare products is voluntary. However, some trade organizations require their members to participate in PAAB preclearance mechanism as a condition of membership. Also note that PAAB monitors the market place and intervenes in response to HCP advertising which does not meet the PAAB code requirements. In the interest of preserving self-regulation, we'll notify Health Canada when we encounter willful non-adherence to PAAB code provisions which relate to the Food and Drugs Act. The PAAB pre-clearance mechanism is the most effective way to ensure that advertising is consistent with the PAAB code. In response to your question, the PAAB code applies to healthcare professional advertising and patient information for all healthcare products (whether it be a natural health product, a homeopathic product, a biological, or a prescription product). Both the PAAB and Ad Standards provide advisory opinions for direct to consumer advertising of prescription and biologic products. Ad Standards and MIJO provide preclearance for consumer non-prescription and natural health product advertising.
