Health education on tablet use
De Rossa asks whether the Health Education Bureau could discourage unnecessary tablet use. The Minister agrees and criticises pharmaceutical advertising, calling for changes involving the Bureau and media.
It is probably like a constituent wanting a letter from a Deputy. Does the Minister see any function for the Health Education Bureau in encouraging people to reduce their intake of tablets?
Comment on this
I do. The advertising of proprietary brands in one medical journal amounts to millions of pounds per annum. We must do something about the advertising on radio and television which encourages people to swallow what is basically a load of rubbish. There is no need for it at all. The Health Education Bureau and the media who live off the advertising will have to change the whole structure of what is going on.