Quality of pharmaceutical advertising and gender bias in medical journals (1998-2008): a review of the scientific literature

Objective: To review the scientific literature on pharmaceutical advertising aimed at health professionals in order to determine whether gender bias has decreased and the quality of information in pharmaceutical advertising has improved over time. Methods: We performed a content analysis of original articles dealing with medical drug promotion (1998-2008), according to quality criteria such as (a) the number, validity and accessibility of bibliographic references provided in pharmaceutical advertising and (b) the extent to which gender representations were consistent with the prevalence of the diseases. Databases: PUBMED, Medline, Scopus, Sociological Abstract, Eric and LILACS. Results: We reviewed 31 articles that analyzed advertising in medical journals from 1975-2005 and were published between 1998 and 2008. We found that the number of references used to support pharmaceutical advertising claims increased from 1975 but that 50% of these references were not valid. There was a tendency to depict men in paid productive roles, while women appeared inside the home or in non-occupational social contexts. Advertisements for psychotropic and cardiovascular drugs overrepresented women and men respectively. Conclusions: The use of bibliographic references increased between 1998 and 2008. However, representation of traditional male-female roles was similar in 1975 and 2005. Pharmaceutical advertisements may contribute to reinforcing the perception that certain diseases are associated with the most frequently portrayed sex.

The Asset Quality Review and Capital Needs: Why re-capitalise banks with public money? CEPS Policy Brief No. 311, 19 December 2013

It is generally assumed that any capital needs discovered by the Asset Quality Review the ECB is scheduled to finish by the end of 2014 should be filled by public funding (= fiscal backstop). This assumption is wrong, however. Banks that do not have enough capital should be asked to obtain it from the market; or be restructured using the procedures and rules recently agreed. The Directorate-General for Competition at the European Commission should be particularly vigilant to ensure that no further state aid flows to an already oversized European banking system. The case for a public backstop was strong when the entire euro area banking system was under stress, but this is no longer the case. Banks with a viable business model can find capital; those without should be closed because any public-sector re-capitalisation would likely mean throwing good money after bad.

Review of ground water quality concerns [microform] : hearings before the Subcommittee on Department Operations, Research, and Foreign Agriculture of the Committee on Agriculture, House of Representatives, One Hundredth Congress, first and second sessions, October 12, 1987, Humboldt, IA; October 27 and December 9, 1987; March 29 and May 24, 1988.

"Serial no. 100-95."

Colorado River Basin Water Quality Control Project; program review. Washington, D. C., January 20-21, 1964,

Mode of access: Internet.

Quality of life indicators; a review of state-of-the-art and guidelines derived to assist in developing environmental indicators.

Bibliography: p. 78-83.

Review report on Salem Church Reservoir, Rappahannock River, Virginia: water supply, salinity control, flood control, water quality control, recreation, hydroelectric power. Appendix.

Vols. 2 (Appendix) bound with main volume.

A water quality information system in support of the state of Illinois standards review process /

Cover title.

Database evaluation, quality of care, and utilization review : Task Force report to the Council.

Cover title.

Executive summary of the report on the evaluation of community residential programs and technical assistance to enhance quality : a consumer focused review with recommendations /

"March 1990."

Strategy for water quality standards review /

Mode of access: Internet.

The effects of hydrologic modifications on aquatic biota, stream hydrology and water quality : a literature review /

"IEPA/WPC/84-001."-- Cover.

Indoor air--assessment : a review of indoor air quality risk characterization studies : United States, 1989-1990.

"EPA/600/8-90/044."

Quality improvement through the computerized internal control review (CICR) system.

Shipping list no.: 89-358-P.

Review of chemical quality-of-water: data collection program in the Brazos River Basin.

Mode of access: Internet.