Pharmaceutical Advertising in Uzbekistan

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1. What laws, regulations, and other legal instruments govern the advertising of medicinal products in Uzbekistan?
2. Are there any self-regulatory codes, industry standards, or other codes of practice applicable to the advertising of medicinal products?
   • If so, to whom do they apply (for example, pharmaceutical companies, healthcare professionals, or other stakeholders)?
   • What is the legal status and practical effect of such codes?
3. Is there a statutory or generally accepted definition of “advertising” in relation to medicinal products?
   • What types of communications are covered by this definition (for example, patient information leaflets, catalogues, disease awareness campaigns, or correspondence)?
   • Does the definition apply equally regardless of the target audience?
4. Are press releases concerning medicinal products permitted in Uzbekistan? If so, what restrictions apply, particularly depending on the intended audience?
5. Are there any legal or self-regulatory requirements governing the internal approval of advertising materials within pharmaceutical companies prior to dissemination?
6. Must advertising or promotional materials be approved by any regulatory authority or other external body before publication or distribution?
7. Is comparative advertising of medicinal products permitted? If so, what legal or regulatory limitations apply?
8. Is it permissible to provide information about unauthorized medicinal products or unauthorized indications? In particular, may such information be presented at scientific conferences directed at healthcare professionals or otherwise shared with healthcare professionals?
9. Please provide an overview of the rules governing advertising of medicinal products to the general public, distinguishing between prescription-only medicines and over-the-counter medicines, and indicating what information must or must not be included.
10. Are there any restrictions on interactions between the pharmaceutical industry and patients or patient organizations (for example, consultation arrangements, sponsorship, or other support)? If so, please summarize them briefly.
11. What information must be included in advertising directed at healthcare professionals, and what information is prohibited? For example, may companies refer to clinical trials or distribute reprints of scientific journal articles?
12. May pharmaceutical companies offer gifts or other items of value to healthcare professionals? If so, are there any monetary thresholds or other limitations?
13. Are pharmaceutical companies permitted to provide free samples of medicinal products to healthcare professionals? If so, under what conditions?
14. May pharmaceutical companies sponsor scientific meetings, congresses, or healthcare professionals’ attendance at such events? If so, what restrictions apply? Are there additional rules where the event takes place outside Uzbekistan?
15. What restrictions apply to the organization or sponsorship by pharmaceutical companies of cultural, sporting, or other non-scientific events in connection with scientific meetings or conferences?
16. May healthcare professionals be remunerated for services provided to pharmaceutical companies? If so, what conditions and restrictions apply?
17. Are pharmaceutical companies permitted to make grants or donations to healthcare professionals or healthcare institutions? Does the position differ depending on whether the support is monetary or in kind?
18. Are pharmaceutical companies required to disclose transfers of value made to healthcare professionals or healthcare institutions? If so, please indicate whether this obligation arises under law or self-regulation, and briefly describe the scope, form, and method of disclosure. Do these requirements also apply to foreign companies and/or companies that do not yet market products in Uzbekistan?
19. Are there any legal or self-regulatory restrictions on advertising medicinal products through social media, whether directed at healthcare professionals or the general public?
20. Is online advertising of medicinal products specifically regulated? If so, how? Are companies expected or required to restrict access to websites or webpages intended only for healthcare professionals?
21. Are there anti-bribery, anti-corruption, or similar rules applicable to communications and interactions between pharmaceutical companies and healthcare professionals or healthcare organizations?
22. What legal or self-regulatory rules govern the offering of benefits, incentives, or inducements to healthcare professionals?
23. Which authorities or bodies are responsible for enforcing the rules on medicinal product advertising and inducements? Please include governmental regulators, self-regulatory bodies, and courts.
24. On what legal basis, and before which authorities, bodies, or courts, may companies bring claims or initiate proceedings against competitors for unlawful advertising practices?
25. What penalties, sanctions, or corrective measures may regulators, self-regulatory bodies, or courts impose for breaches of the rules governing medicinal product advertising or inducements to prescribe?