PAAB Code of Advertising

The Pharmaceutical Advertising Advisory Board (PAAB) is an independent review agency whose primary role is to ensure that advertising of prescription drugs is accurate, balanced and evidence-based.

Key Activities of PAAB include:

  • maintaining a Code of Advertising Acceptance, which is approved by representatives of the member organizations
  • preclearing advertising prior to publication, to ensure that claims meet Code standards
  • education on the application of Code standards, and of PAAB review staff, in maintaining and improving the quality of the review process
  • encouraging compliance with Code standards by ad monitoring, adjudicating complaints, reporting infractions and administering penalties
  • consulting widely with stakeholders on matters of policy

The scope of the PAAB Code of Advertising Acceptance currently includes advertising of prescription and OTC products to health professionals in all media. PAAB also reviews veterinary medicine journal advertising using separate guidelines, and provides advisory comments on direct-to-consumer materials for prescription drugs.

USING THE CODE

PAAB operates a self-financing preclearance program to ensure that proposed advertising meets Code standards for the promotion of pharmaceutical products. If you plan to submit proposed advertising or review, and wish a submission form or have other questions, please call the PAAB office.

MEMBERSHIP

PAAB was incorporated in 1976 with a multi-stakeholder Board of Directors. The following organizations are members of PAAB and have appointed official representatives to its Board:

  • Advertising Standards Canada
  • Association of Medical Advertising Agencies
  • Canadian Association of Medical Publishers
  • Canadian Drug Manufacturers Association
  • Canadian Medical Association
  • Canadian Pharmacists Association
  • Best Medicines Coalition
  • NDMAC
  • Canada’s Research-Based Pharmaceutical Companies (Rx&D)
  • Canada’s Association for the Fifty-Plus (CARP)
  • Fédération des médecins spécialistes du Québec (FMSQ)

The Therapeutic Products Directorate, Health Canada, is an ex-officio observer to the Board of Directors. The Directorate acts as advisor to the Board, without relinquishing any part of its authority under the Food and Drugs Act and Regulations.