Lauterbach for gender-neutral drug information
Wishes that “female doctors are expressly named”: SPD politician Karl Lauterbach
Source: dpa/Bernd von Jutrczenka
Every drug advertisement refers to contacting a “doctor or pharmacist” about risks and side effects. After several associations were bothered by the purely male formulation, the Federal Minister of Health now agrees.
NAfter several associations called for the wording “Ask your doctor or pharmacist” to be gender-neutral in drug advertising, Minister of Health Karl Lauterbach (SPD) is also in favor of a change. “I would be very much in favor of female doctors being specifically named. It corresponds to the reality of the supply,” said Lauterbach “Bild” newspaper.
Previously, among other things, Doctor President Klaus Reinhardt had spoken out in favor of a corresponding adjustment of the notice. “The legally prescribed wording is no longer up to date,” said Reinhardt Editorial Network Germany (RND). He emphasized that around half of the medical profession is female.
Almost 90 percent of the employees in public pharmacies are women, said the President of the Federal Union of German Pharmacists’ Associations (ABDA), Gabriele Regina Overwiening. “A purely male use of language can by no means be regarded as fair language practice,” she criticized.
The wording “For risks and side effects, read the leaflet and ask your doctor or pharmacist” is prescribed in the Medicines Advertising Act. It may not be changed by advertising producers.
“The mandatory text should be replaced by a neutral yet easily understandable wording,” Reinhardt demanded. The President of the German Medical Association, Christiane Groß, suggested adding “…or ask your doctor’s practice or pharmacy” instead of the male professional titles.
“Ask your doctor or pharmacist”
ABDA boss Overwiening spoke out in favor of a legal solution in which several variants are permitted: “Ask your doctor or pharmacist”, “Ask your doctor or pharmacist” or “Ask your doctor or pharmacist” could be be allowed.
“Each and every advertiser could then freely and flexibly use one of these formulations and thus also provide publicly visible self-disclosure about their own company with regard to gender-neutral language,” she argued, but emphasized that her association has not yet issued an official position on the question of the mandatory text give.
“Kick-off Politics” is WELT’s daily news podcast. The most important topic analyzed by WELT editors and the dates of the day. Subscribe to the podcast at Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts or directly by RSS feed.