Morocco’s medicines regulator is stepping up checks on pharmaceutical advertising after finding cases in which companies failed to declare promotional campaigns and materials before putting them into use.
The Moroccan Agency for Medicines and Health Products warned pharmaceutical companies that no drug-related advertising or promotional material should be published, distributed or used before completing the required prior declaration.
The warning follows recent monitoring operations that uncovered gaps in compliance with the rules, according to a notice issued by the agency.
The regulator did not identify the companies involved or disclose how many cases it had recorded, but it made clear that the requirement applies across the pharmaceutical sector and covers much more than conventional advertising.
Companies must declare promotional activities and the materials used to support them, including content prepared for scientific conferences, professional events and other industry gatherings.
The same rules apply to promotional communications distributed through digital platforms, as pharmaceutical companies increasingly use online channels to reach health professionals and other audiences.
The agency said companies must therefore make sure their promotional material has completed the required regulatory process before it is circulated in any form.
The agency called on companies to ensure that their internal monitoring systems can verify the regulatory status of each campaign and promotional material before it is approved or published.
That means companies cannot treat prior declaration as paperwork to be completed after a campaign is already underway. The regulator said that the procedure must be completed before the material enters circulation.
The move also extends regulatory scrutiny to promotional material used in professional settings, including scientific meetings and conferences. Such materials will not be treated differently simply because they are aimed at industry professionals rather than a wider audience.
The agency said the tighter controls are intended to promote responsible and transparent pharmaceutical communication while ensuring compliance with the rules governing medicines.
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