[An analysis of drug advertising in non-specialty medical journals]. / Análisis de la publicidad medicamentosa en revistas médicas no especializadas.

It has been evaluated drug advertisement in four medical journals during 1989. A questionnaire allows us to evaluate pharmacological and advertising data. The main results obtained are the following: amoxicillin + clavulanic acid was the more advertising drug; the ratio publicity/pharmacological information was 3:1; 60% of the advertising products were new drugs, and only a 6% were essentials drugs according to WHO; slogans were acceptable; generally, aspects such as dosage and toxicology are referred. However, it is necessary to improve information about drug use in elderly patients, patients with impaired renal functional, as well as the necessary information in adverse drug reactions.