RB’s Nurofen headache
July 18, 2013
The TGA’s Complaints Resolution
Panel has asked the Secretary of
the Department of Health and
Ageing to make official orders
that Reckitt Benckiser comply
with a determination relating to
advertising of Nurofen, after the
company gave “an indication to the
panel that it would not comply with
all of the Panel’s requests.”
The panel has requested
withdrawal of the advertisements,
representations and the publication
of a retraction (PD 11 Jul).
However a letter from CRP
Executive Officer, Judith Brimer,
confirms that at a meeting earlier
this month the Panel noted that
RB’s response to the determination
“failed to indicate an intention to
comply with all of the requests”.
The issues raised in the original
complaints highlighted Nurofen
claims that it “targets” various parts
of the body - and the long-running
issue has seen Reckitt Benckiser
continuing with the campaign for
some time (PD 09 Aug 2012).
Consumer group CHOICE
slammed the advertising two
years ago when it gave Nurofen a
so-called “Shonky Award” over its
range of caplets for migraine, back,
tension headache and period pain
whose ingredients were identical
from product to product.
Following the award, a formal
complaint was made to the CRP
who requested RB withdraw the
advertisements and any such
representations.
Reckitt Benckiser however
disagreed with the request and has
continued to run the ads, saying
“Nurofen advises that consumers
will continue to see the familiar
branding of the Nurofen target and
messages of Nurofen working at
the site of the pain...this branding
includes TGA approved claims
on packs that Nurofen provides
targeted relief from pain.”
Pharmacy academic Ken Harvey,
who was one of the complainants,
said the issue demonstrates “major
defects in the current complaint
handling system”.
“Sponsors can disagree with the
independent CRP determination
and continue to promote while the
problem is referred to the TGA”.
“The current system is heavily
weighted in favour of the sponsor
and provides the consumer with
little protection,” he said.
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