Advertising bans in the health sector: A case study.

This study aims to determine the advertising tools, advertising issues, individuals/organizations advertised, the types and amounts of advertising bans, reasons behind advertising bans, and regulations by examining the advertising bans delivered in the Turkish health sector. In total, 904 advertising bans in the areas of 'covert advertising' and 'health' were evaluated based on the decision reports of the healthcare industry. This study reveals that 58% of the advertising bans that were advertised via television were considered 'covert advertising'. A majority of bans (84.3%) were observed in the form of detention of advertising with fines imposed in only 142 (15.7%) cases of advertising bans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]