Applications for advertisement approval for prescription drugs must be filed before the National Directorate of Pharmacies and Drugs

On July 10, 2023, the Ministry of Health ("MINSA") of the Republic of Panama approved by means of Resolution No. 498, the evaluation procedure for prescription drugs’ advertisement.

The evaluation procedure applies to all applications for advertisement approval for prescription drugs, which main objective is to promote the rational use of the drug.

The following internal controls and/or definitions are established:

Prescription drugs’ Advertisement

Any marketing for informative, prospecting or incitement aimed at promoting the prescription, distribution, sale, or consumption of medicines, favoring their rational use. Advertising must comply with the information contained in the technical sheet and must be presented objectively and without exaggerating its properties. Additionally, it must comply with the general principles established in the Resolution.

Documentary Advertisement

Publication Advertisement such as in magazines, newsletters, books and similar, as well as those incorporated to audiovisual media in optical, magnetic, or similar support, exclusively addressed to people authorized to prescribe or distribute medicine.

Documentary Advertisement Standards

All information on advertising material must comply with requirements, such as: advertising phrases; quotations, tables, and illustrations; tables, graphs or data extracted from scientific publications; comparison of different drugs or active ingredients; statistics and conclusions.

Media Advertisement

These have been classified according to the media to which they belong: (i) audiovisual, (ii) online, (iii) print, and (iv) in-office advertisement.

Social Media

The laboratory or company is responsible for maintaining the necessary controls for the content and opinions published on their social media accounts and the messages cannot be misleading as a covert promotional practice. The same rules and requirements established for all communication channels and materials distributed on paper will apply.

Applications for advertisement approval of prescription drugs must be filed before the National Directorate of Pharmacies and Drugs, together with the payment of fees and material to be evaluated. The marketed product must have the approved technical sheet in MINSA´s Health Registry or at a reference agency to verify the content of the advertisement.

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