Advertising allowed for
pharmaceutical-like products

Ads could be run on TV,

radio, and in print media

The Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) said it has decided to allow advertising campaigns to be carried out for products classified by its technical committee as similar to drugs.

Advertising could be made through audio-visual or print media, the MoPH said.

The products should belong to the ‘Class I’ and ‘Class II a’ classifications adopted by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and by France’s Agence Nationale de Sécurité du Médicament et des Produits de Santé (ANSM).

The products similar to drugs are also called pharmaceutical-like products.

‘Class I’ and ‘Class II a’ include a broad variety of products such as medicated soaps, shampoos, and skin gels, as well as nasal sprays, and pain relief creams and tablets. They also include antiseptic solutions, plasters with antibacterial pads, herbal laxatives, breast implants, food supplements, and infant formulas.

The Advertising Association has been seeking approval from the authorities to legalize advertising for over-the-counter drugs that don’t require medical prescriptions for a long time.