CIHR Café Scientifique and UBC Centre for Health Services and Policy Research present…

As Seen on TV!

Risks and benefits of direct-to-consumer advertising of prescription drugs

Monday, March 3, 2008 – 7:15 – 8:45 p.m.

Junior Ballroom, Sheraton Wall Centre

1088 Burrard St. Vancouver

Should prescription drugs be advertised like breakfast cereal?

Three quarters of adults will fill a prescription this year, at a cost of nearly $25 billion. The use and cost of medicines may increase significantly if manufacturers are allowed to advertise prescription drugs directly to consumers as they do in the United States.

CanWest MediaWorks is challenging laws that prohibit direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) in Canada. Come discuss important questions with leading experts.

What is known about the effects of DTCA: What justifies the ban on advertising? What can we learn from other industries? How would DTCA affect the doctor-patient relationship?

Admission free; RSVP required by Friday, Feb. 29

rsvp@chspr.ubc.ca or 604-827-4472

Arrive early! Discussion starts

at 7:15 p.m. sharp. Refreshments served

Please circulate widely to friends and contacts, especially general public/community members who might wish to take part

Panelists:

Dr. Barbara Mintzes

Assistant Professor

UBC Therapeutics Initiative

Dr. Rick Pollay

Professor Emeritus (Marketing)

Sauder School of Business UBC

Dr. Andrew Wilkenson Q.C.

Partner, McCarthy Tétrault, Vancouver

Former Deputy Minister

British Columbia Ministry of Economic Development

Dr. Alan Katz MB CHB, MSC, CCFP, FCFP

Family Physician

Associate Professor

Departments of Family Medicine and

Community Health Sciences

University of Manitoba

Moderator:

Dr. Colleen M. Flood

Scientific Director,

CIHR’s Institute of Health Services and Policy Research

Canada Research Chair in Comparative Health Law and Policy,

University of Toronto