The Health and Youth Care Inspectorate (IGJ) monitors compliance with medicine advertising rules. The aim is to prevent unwanted influence. Patients need to be confident that they are getting a good medicine that helps them, and not the doctor or the pharmaceutical company.
Rules for advertising and inducement
It is prohibited to advertise prescription medication to the public. Advertisement towards health care professionals is allowed but strictly regulated. Inducements are about offering money, services or goods for the apparent objective of promoting the sales of a medicine and are prohibited.
There are some exceptions to the ban;
- Appropriate remuneration of participation costs for meetings and manifestations.
- Appropriate consulting arrangements laid down in a written service agreement.
- Sponsorship related to innovative and/or quality-improving activities to improve patient care or the advancement of medical science.
- Gifts of limited monetary value that can be used for professional practice.
- Sector-related discounts and bonuses concerning the purchase of medicines.
The Dutch Medicine Act and Policy rules describe the conditions for these exceptions in more detail. The Inspectorate can impose an administrative fine if the regulations on advertising or inducement have been violated.
See also:
- Chapter 9 of the Dutch Medicines Act
- The policy rules
- Code of Conduct for Medicines (Dutch: CGR): self-regulation rules about advertising and inducements
- Working arrangements Inspectorate and Foundation CGR (Dutch: Stichting CGR), in Dutch
Reporting to the inspectorate
You can report to the Health and Youth Care Inspectorate (IGJ) if you suspect that advertising rules have been violated. Please use our contact form (in Dutch) to report a violation.
We will assess whether we are the appropriate body to deal with the report, or whether you can turn to one of the other authorities involved (in Dutch) .