Advertising in medical journals: are we missing the point?
Abstract
In this issue of SAFP, there is an interesting opinion piece by Ronald Ingle.1 He writes about the benefits and harms of pharmaceutical advertising in medical journals and is concerned about the advertising practices applied to this journal, in particular the placement of advertising on the front cover. He has commented on this issue before.2 SAFP formulated an advertising policy, which has been applied ever since. His article and this editorial are published in the interest of transparency and debate, because, as he rightly points out, this matter has not been discussed adequately in South Africa.