ITC Makes Changes To Rules On Medical Advertising

The Independent Television Commission (ITC) is to lift the prohibition on the advertising of services offering to diagnose, advise, prescribe or treat medical or health matters by correspondence. However, in order for licensees to accept such advertising material, staff who provide the remote services must be subject to regulation by statutory of recognised parties, including the medical profession.

A consultation process relating to this prohibition was launched in February this year, involving a wide range of interested parties, including the medical profession. The ITC says it has sought to strike a careful balance between different viewer interests at stake. “Viewers have an interest both in reasonable access to information about services on offer and in protection from advertising content that is harmful in any way.” it stated.

Guidance from the Department of Health may be sought when the ITC exercises its discretion in determining what constitutes “recognised professional bodies.” The ITC is currently looking into the prospect of lifting bans on the advertising of a variety of other products and services, including private detective agencies and religious organisations (see Hair Loss Clinics And Hari Krishna Could Soon Have TV Adverts), as part of its bid to become a “lighter touch regulator”.

ITC: 020 7255 3000

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