Pharmacy Daily | RB’s Nurofen headache

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.

---

The above article was sent to subscribers in Pharmacy Daily's issue from 18 Jul 13
To see the full newsletter, see the embedded issue below or CLICK HERE to download Pharmacy Daily from 18 Jul 13