Clause 8 - Disparaging References

Much pharmaceutical advertising contains comparisons with other products and, by the nature of advertising, such comparisons are usually made to show an advantage of the advertised product over its comparator. Provided that such critical references to another company’s products are accurate, balanced, fair etc, and can be substantiated, they are acceptable under the Code.

Unjustified knocking copy in which the products or activities of a competitor are unfairly denigrated is prohibited under this clause.

Attention is drawn to the requirements for comparisons set out in Clauses 7.2 to 7.5.