Situation: After the 4th National Health Assembly issued Resolution No. 5 on the suppression of illegal marketing on drugs, foods and health products through radio and television broadcasting as well as internet in 2011, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) formed a committee to implement the suppression. The panel is aimed at integrating the work of concerned agencies and pushing for solutions through the mechanisms of the agencies.
The committee plans four areas of work to deal with the illegal marketing. They are the development of networks to monitor and handle problematic advertisements, the development of media professionals, laws and law enforcement, and the one-year-long creation of public awareness. The work meets its goals.
For long-term solutions from the policy-making level to the operational level, the FDA and partners drafted the National Strategy on Illegal Marketing on Drugs, Foods and Health Products for implementation from 2014 to 2017. Many parties had their say in the drafting and there were public hearings in four regions.
Problem: There are limited resources to tackle illegal marketing on drugs, foods and health products through present and future communication channels effectively, continuously and sustainably.
Solution (according to the draft resolution): The National Strategy on Illegal Marketing on Drugs, Foods and Health Products is implemented to mobilize all parties in the society to develop nationwide networks to tackle the illegal marketing in a sustainable fashion. The strategy will be proposed to the cabinet for approval and important organizations will jointly implement it afterwards.