Pharmaceutical manufacturers and suppliers promote and/or advertise their products to health professionals and the general public using a number of methods. These include: advertising in journals or other media; direct mailings; personal selling through sales representatives; provision of gifts and samples; sponsored symposiums and sponsored publication of information materials. Such promotion aims to influence people’s attitudes, beliefs and behaviour and encourage them to use a particular brand of product.

Drug information can significantly influence the way drugs are used by consumers and providers of medicines (prescribers and dispensers). Regulation of drug information and promotion is therefore necessary to prevent the dissemination of inaccurate and misleading information. Accordingly, control of drug promotion and advertising is another function of a DRA. Additionally, in some countries, the pharmaceutical industry practises self-regulation, and the DRA and the pharmaceutical industry undertake a degree of co-regulation.