Eventually, Fulcare’s YouTube Ad is deleted

Fulcare's YouTube advertisement, controversy over the recommendation scene between consumers in pharmacies

Apologized for inappropriate video, and provide measures to prevent recurrence

The criteria of advertisement deliberations that cannot be recommended by pharmacists & Physicians

Deleted video capture

When Mennarini Korea's athlete's foot drug Fulcare’s YouTube advertisement raised a problem saying that Ads excluded pharmacist skills, the pharmaceutical company deleted the video and began to rectify it.

 

The content of the controversial advertisement is a scene where Another patient who was waiting for a patient who visited the pharmacy for athlete's foot symptom recommends Fulcare.

 

Pharmacists protested that it was “an advertisement that ignored pharmacies and pharmacists,” and on the morning of the 15th, some local pharmacist societies called for an immediate cessation of advertising.

 

When the controversy broke out, Menarini Korea apologized to the pharmacists for the inappropriate image, and immediately switched the controversial video to private.

 

An official from Menarini Korea said, "The video in question was immediately removed.

 

It will not be used in the future.

 

This video has hurt the pharmacists who have worked hard and dedication in the front line of the public health." "We take the matter seriously and prepare a plan to prevent recurrence," he said.

 

This is an explanation that the consultation and product recommendation were intended to be included in the video.

 

However, it may be illegal for the pharmaceutical affairs law to be referred to as 'expert recommendation'.

 

Also, it was intended to highlight the fact that it is OTC drug and can only be purchased at a pharmacy.

 

Considering that it is an online video for consumers, he also conveyed the intention of making such as the point that the patient tried to express the part explaining his or her disease.

 

The official said, "It is entirely wrong to fail to reflect carefully, and we are sincerely sorry for the confusion and inconvenience caused by this." also he added, "we will do our best to actively reflect the opinions of pharmacists in all future marketing activities and avoid recurrence." Then, the reason why this advertisement was controversial can be found by looking at the ‘Guidelines for Provision of Information on Drug Ads and Rx drugs’ by the MFDS.

 

In the guidelines, doctors, dentists, and pharmacists are not allowed to recommend and guarantee medicines in advertisements.

 

This is because, according to the guidelines, the characteristics of the social perception of the healthcare practitioner have a large impact on consumers perception of the medicine.

 

In addition, it is judged that it is against the regulations for entertainer and the public to wear gowns to make them look like pharmaceutical experts.

 

Accordingly, pharmaceutical companies produce advertisements in a manner recommended by the general public.

 

"pharmacist should not recommend it.

 

It can be seen as a violation for entertainer to wear a pharmacist's gown.

 

Therefore, in the pharmaceutical industry, advertisements are presented in a way that the general public explains or recommends." he said.

 

This Fulcare’s YouTube ad was shot especially in the pharmacy, so the pharmacists were against it.

 

The official said, "There weren't many commercials in the background of the pharmacy.

 

If this was done outside the pharmacy, the situation may have been different."