Discussing COVID-19 vaccination is not breaking advertising rules
Doctors across Australia are able to tell patients exactly which coronavirus vaccine they are getting, despite a ban on advertising the jabs by brand.
The Therapeutic Goods Administration has affirmed that guidelines for doctors don’t limit conversations between doctors and patients about the vaccines, and which option was more appropriate depending on existing medical conditions in an article published by the Canberra Times.
General practices and pharmacists involved in the coronavirus vaccine rollout are banned from developing their own advertising about the vaccines, and face fines if they advertise the brand of vaccine available, compare different vaccines, offer incentives for being vaccinated or make statements implying one vaccine is superior to the other.
AMA Vice-President Chris Moy told the Canberra Times that the advertising decision was consistent with existing rules around advertising for prescription medications.
He said in the interview that patients would not be left in the dark about which vaccine they would be administered, and doctors were not banned from talking about it.
"This is core to maintaining trust in vaccines. What is important is the information provided to the public is consistent," Dr Moy said.
The AMA this week issued a Position Statement on Advertising and Public Endorcement. Read it here
