Spanish researchers report in the latest issue of The Lancet that nearly half of all drug advertisements published in medical journals cite studies or other evidence that does not support their promotional claims. As part of their research, co-author Dr. Salvador Peiro and colleagues with the Valencia School for Health Studies reviewed 102 promotional claims made in numerous medical journal advertisements.

According to the study's findings, references in advertisements did not support promotional claims 44 percent of the time. Most inaccuracies involved drug advertisements that alleged the medication was tested in a wide-ranging group of patients when it was actually only evaluated in a specific population. To solve the problem of insufficient ad regulation, the report recommends the establishment of review panels to examine advertisements before they are published.