Regulator to ban medical adverts

Health authorities have begun attempts to regulate the placement of medical information and advertisement in the media. Health minister, Onyebuchi Chukwu, said he asked the Medical and Dental Council to publicly distinguish between what constitutes an advert and public service information about hospitals.This comes amidst concerns that some hospitals, mostly private, are taking to the […]

Health authorities have begun attempts to regulate the placement of medical information and advertisement in the media.

Health minister, Onyebuchi Chukwu, said he asked the Medical and Dental Council to publicly distinguish between what constitutes an advert and public service information about hospitals.
This comes amidst concerns that some hospitals, mostly private, are taking to the media to promote their services and professionals.

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“For me, there is nothing wrong in giving out public service information about a hospital” or its services, explained Chukwu on Thursday.
“What will be wrong is when you begin to say that Prof Chukwu who works in this hospital is the best orthopaedic surgeon in the world. That is advertisement.”
Chukwu said he had got assurances from information minister Labaran Maku that “appropriate bodies responsible for what is published in both broadcast and print media will now be alive to their responsibilities.”
His comments came at the formal opening of LifeBridge Diagnostic Centre in Abuja.
Media regulators have recently tried to control and even ban herbal medicine adverts in the media over claims of some of its proponents.