In Austria, an absolute advertising ban applies, particularly to prescription medicinal products. Advertising is permitted for very few medicinal products. Advertising is permissible for:
- Medicinal products that do not appear in the so-called reimbursement code of the Austrian social insurance institutions, are approved by the Federal Office for Safety in Health Care, and are not subject to prescription.
- registered traditional herbal medicinal products. The Austrian Medicinal Products Act defines medicinal specialties as medicinal products that are always marketed in the same composition and under the same designation in a specific form.
- registered homeopathic medicinal products.
Advertising must present medicinal products and their properties objectively and without exaggeration. For instance, an effect exceeding the actual or scientifically proven effect must not be promised in advertising.
Lay Advertising and Professional Advertising
Regarding advertising for medicinal products, a distinction is made between lay advertising and professional advertising.
Lay advertising is aimed at consumers. Here, the advertising nature must be particularly clear. Furthermore, the advertising must not contain elements that, for example, make a medical examination appear superfluous.
In contrast to lay advertising, professional advertising is aimed at specialist personnel, such as doctors. There are also specific requirements for this. For example, professional advertising must contain the essential information about the medicinal product.
Advertising for medicinal products on broadcast media is generally prohibited. For more information, please also read “Broadcast Advertising”.
See also: “Advertising Restrictions and Prohibitions for Medical Devices”
