The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry has recently distributed its ‘Data Sheet Compendium 1974’ to registered medical practitioners and to hospital chief pharmacists. The impetus for this endeavour arose from the requirements of the Medicines Act 1968 under which any ‘commercially interested party’ must have delivered to a practitioner a copy of the data sheet on any product which is promoted to him by mail or through a representative. The format and contents of the data sheet are specified in great detail, and all claims made in promotion addressed to doctors subsequently for the product must fall within its terms.
The rise of the British pharmaceutical industry.