Pfizer escapes censure over ‘dead rat’ ad

The UK’s Advertising Standards Agency has given the all-clear to the now-infamous ‘dead  rat’ ad warning of the risks of buying medicines over the Internet.

The ad - shown in cinemas - shows a man regurgitating a dead rat after taking a pill purchased from an illegal website to emphasise the threat that fake drugs can contain dangerous ingredients. It was sponsored by Pfizer and backed by the UK regulator the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and patient advocacy groups.

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In its adjudication document the ASA said there were 12 complaints objecting to the ad on the grounds that it was offensive and ‘unduly distressing’.

Seven of the complainants also said that the ad was misleading, because they understood that some legally prescribed medicines also contained dangerous ingredients such as rat poison, while three of the complainants maintained the ad was likely to cause particular distress to people who took those legally prescribed medicines that contained dangerous ingredients.

The ASA did not uphold any of the complaints, saying “the ad was intended to raise awareness of a serious issue and was designed to be hard-hitting so as to achieve the desired impact.”

In its defense, Pfizer said the ad should be considered in light of the fact that an estimated 50 per cent to 90 per cent of prescription-only medicines purchased from unregulated websites are counterfeit or substandard. 

Their research suggested that in the UK more than 330,000 men each year were likely to purchase prescription-only medicines from illicit sources.

“The campaign sought to address a lack of public awareness of a potentially life-threatening issue and Pfizer believed it was socially responsible to do so,” according to the adjudication.  The company said it had gone to significant lengths to ensure the ad was restricted to appropriate audiences to avoid causing fear and distress to younger people.

It is estimated that around 4.1 million individuals have seen the ad.