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Law issued to regulate health advertisements

DUBAI — The Ministry of Health (MoH) yesterday announced a law regulating health advertisement system in the country.

The law, the first of its kind in the country, comes into effect from today.

The law number 7 for 2007 aims at controlling the health advertisement system in the country, Minister of Health Humaid Mohammed Obaid Al Qutami told Khaleej Times yesterday.

According to the articles stated in the law, companies and individuals cannot print ads that may mislead about products or may cause harm to the public.

The minister explained that the media should not allow publication of health ads unless they had been approved by the MoH. The law also requires the ads to be clear, precise, factual and accurate.

The advertisement should not be contradictory to the values and traditions of the UAE society and should not cause harm to others, explains the law, adding that ads should not be exaggerated or manipulative.

It also adds: “The advertisement should not encourage people to conduct a self diagnosis for dangerous diseases and abuse trust.”

It’s also of utmost importance that the ad should not target the underage and juveniles, the minister noted.

The law will be applicable to all medical advertisements in the country. All companies will have to seek prior approval from the MoH before the ad is printed/aired.

For companies / individuals who require to obtain new licences or wish to renew their licences from the MoH to get their advertisements published/aired, the charges are the same.