Gifts to healthworkers

Companies are breaking the rules by ...

using gifts to health workers as inducements to promote products or as a way to advertise. Gifts like pen holders, desk calendars, letter openers, note pads, decorative items, pens, and file holders marked with product names are given to health workers to be displayed in their offices. The brands names are readily in view of pregnant women and mothers each time they visit the doctor or while they are within the hospital wards. Gifts intended to be passed on to mothers also serve to advertise product names.

Chart 3 shows in which countries companies give gifts to health workers in violation of the International Code.

Other companies giving such gifts include: Alter (Spain), Boryung (Corea), Fasska (Bangladesh), Granjas Castello (Spain), Helios (Indonesia), Indofoods (Indonesia), Milisan (Germany), Mirota (Indonesia), Nam Yang (Corea), Ordesa (Spain), Pliva (Croatia), Podravka (Croatia), Sancor (Argentina) y Unilab (Philippines).

Gift with product names

This desk calendar given to health professionals in Peru advertises infant formula brands on each page. The pages of the calendar are obviously meant to be seen by pregnant women and mothers as each has a picture depicting a stage of pregnancy, breast feeding or infant care.

Each page also carries several brand names of Wyeth formula products including Nursoy, Promil, SMA and S-26.

A health worker in Venezuela received an S-26 piggy bank from Wyeth.

Wyeth in Colombia gives doctors this empty but sealed Promil tin. The tin can be opened with a pull tab and is meant to be used as a pencil holder. Thus, mothers see what appears to be a tin of formula sitting on the doctor’s desk.

Desk pad advertising Cerelac and Neslac given to doctors in Pakistan. .

Product advertising to be passed on by the doctor

Companies advertise with the implied endorsement of doctors when they give gifts intended to be passed on to mothers. In Colombia, Wyeth advertises S-26 and Promil on the cover of prescription pads given to doctors. The advertisements will be easily seen by mothers when the doctor is busy writing the prescription. In Thailand and the Philippines, each page of the note pads given to doctors show the symbols associated with S-26 or Promil. In Malaysia, pages of notepads advertise Promil right next to the statement "Breastmilk is best for babies." The advertisement is passed on to mothers with the doctors notes or prescription. Snow Brand advertises P7L in this way in Malaysia.

This 1997 diary is given to health workers in Indonesia
embossed with the Nestlé logo. A book mark advertising
Lactogen Gold is attached to the diary.

In Colombia and Argentina, Wyeth gives doctors folders advertising Nursoy. Inside are individual tear-out sheets on treating or managing diarrhoea at home. The individual pages, use the Wyeth cartoon baby in all of the illustrations and the Wyeth logo at the bottom. On the reverse side of the sheets in another Wyeth note pad given to doctors is information about the behaviour a mother can expect from her baby as she progresses through her first year. Again, the S-26 cartoon baby is used throughout. The sheets are meant to taken from the folder and be passed on to mothers.

S-26 sheet for mothers in Argentina.

Nursoy sheet in Colombia.

Abbottt Ross and Mead Johnson use a similar technique in Colombia but the tear-out sheets are height and weight charts that the doctor gives to mothers when they come for consultation. Each sheet advertises Similac in the case of Abbott Ross or Enfalac and Prosobee in the case of Mead Johnson.

Inducements to promote products

Gifts given for personal use serve as inducements to promote products. Gift giving creates a relationship between the donor and the receiver with the inherent obligation to reciprocate. In the Philippines, Mead Johnson offers doctors "A respite from the pressures and stress of medical life" in the form of a year’s membership to Club Med as well as a Club Med Privilege card for credit and discounts. Mead Johnson medical representatives in the Philippines have entertainment budgets to give parties such as for a doctor’s birthday. In Spain, a health professional received a gold pendant from Mead Johnson .

A health worker in Thailand received a gold-plated pen from Nestlé while a doctor in Gabon reported receiving a Tissot watch engraved with the name Nestlé. In Gabon, health workers also receive key chains, wallets, examination lights and cartons of alcohol swabs, all compliments of Nestlé.

In Germany, health workers have received radios, kitchenware, puppets and compact discs from Milupa. In Mauritius, a nurse travelled to the Seychelles islands compliments of Milupa to attend a seminar. That same nurse had been referring mothers to a nearby shop where they could pick up a free tin of Aptamil.

In the Philippines, Nestlé medical sales representatives give product talks to health workers. During these sessions, the representatives engage health workers in games about Nestlé products. Health workers receive bags, folders and purses as prizes for correct answers. Wyeth uses similar promotional gimmicks giving awards such as umbrellas, T-shirts, thermos, cups and food containers.

Also in the Philippines, Nestlé gave P30,000 (US$ 1,000 ) to support the practice session of a choral group of a provincial paediatric society. Rural health workers receive Christmas and Valentine gifts from Nestlé including a native heart shaped box and flower hangings.

Officers of the Integrated Midwives Association in each provincial chapter in the Philippines are offered all sorts of assistance including gifts, scholarships, travel and study grants. Nestlé gave P3,000 for the Association’s choral group. Wyeth printed their T-shirts. Midwives in the communities who prescribe certain pre-determined amounts of Nestogen receive study grants and sponsorship to attend conferences and seminars in Manila. Nestlé and Wyeth co-sponsor events for midwives such as picnics and parties.

In the United Arab Emirates, Abbott Ross sent 1997 New Year greetings to health workers that showed three large photographs of tins of Isomil, Similac and Gain.

In Korea, Maeil and Nam Yang provide health workers with picnics, beverages and luncheons.

Gifts to health workers in the Philippines from Nestlé and from Wyeth. Nestlé gifts are yellow whereas t
he gifts from Wyeth are blue.

Companies are also breaking the rules when they ...

give gifts to health workers that bear the company name but do not refer to a product. According to Article 6.3, health care facilities should not be used for distribution of materials from manufacturers and distributors, regardless of whether a brand name appears. Company names, brand names and logos appearing on these items serve as constant reminders of companies and their products. (Under Article 6.8, company names may appear only on certain donations of equipment and materials to a health care system.)

Companies which give gifts such as calendars, personal diaries, cigarette lighters, pens, desk organisers, file holders, filing racks, note pads and pen holders bearing the company name include Abbott Ross, Coberco Omefa, Danone/Diepal, Dumex, Gerber, Friesland/Dutch Baby, Hipp, Humana, Mead Johnson, Meiji, Milupa, Morinaga, Nestlé, Novartis and Wyeth.

Novartis, a company formed by the merger of Sandoz and Ciba
Geigy gave this cigarette lighter to a paediatrician in Albania.

Promotion in Health Care Facilities
Free samples and supplies | Posters, calendars and other displays
Gift to mothers in healt care facilities | Informational and educational materials for mothers
Products information to health professionals