Evaluation of medication advertising broadcast on radio stations

The scope of this paper was to evaluate advertising for medication broadcast on radio stations in Natal, State of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, from April to September 2008 and from April to September 2010. The advertising was recorded and transcribed in order to conduct legal analysis and content analysis based on the precepts of Laurence Bardin. Both the advertising recorded during the first stage (regulated by RDC 102/00) and the second stage (regulated by RDC 96/08) contained some form of legal violation. Content analysis detected practically the same violations in both stages, namely the lack of information regarding adverse effects of the medication, appeal to consumption, exaggeration of efficiency/effectiveness and abusive exploitation of illness. Despite the inclusion of more modern and restrictive legislation, radio advertising continues to violate the law blatantly, committing abuse and disrespecting the population's entitlement to good health. The study reveals the need for medication advertising to be dealt with in a broader context, in other words to be treated as a public health concern. It must take into consideration the socio-historical scenario in which it evolved, since the legislation alone is insufficient to combat abuse committed to the detriment of public health.