Subject: Promoting partnerships? MIME-Version: 1.0 From: Bang_Debbie/chc@email TO: [log in to unmask] Content-Type: multipart/Mixed; boundary="openmail-part-009c2dbc-00000002" --openmail-part-009c2dbc-00000002 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; name="Message" Content-Disposition: inline; filename="Message" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Tom ... I am having quite a bit of difficulty with your statement, and I quote ...the magazine would appear to be little more than a drug industry propaganda vehicle, presumably receiving Health Canada funding while it "finds it's feet in the marketplace". Could this be what is meant by the phrase "health promotion"? I have re-looked at my Health Promotion in Canada Vol 34, Issue 4 edition and noted the following ads: 1. Pharmaceutical Manufactures Association of Canada - content of the ad: information about a program that they offer to help promote the appropriate use of medicines. (French and English versions) 2. Astra Pharma Inc.- content of the ad: information about a program that they offer related to absenteeism. (French and English versions) 3. Health Canada - content of the ad: information about a URL (program) that they offer to access health promotion information. (Bilingual) 4. Roche Canada - content of the ad: information about services / components of their company. (French and English versions) As a health promotion practitioner I am very aware of how health promotion is defined and what it looks like in practice. I am interested in knowing what "health promotion" activities the private sector is involved in and how they are defining health promotion ... and I do not mind taking their money to find out. The ads are not promoting the use of a certain drug or treatment nor do I feel complelled to purchase one of their products. Their business is to sell drugs, no question. AND it is well worth their while to look like good corporate citizens! But the bottom line is they have money and we do not! The ads do not promote activities that are unacceptable to me as a health promotion practitioner ... I would suggest that the editorial board is able to accept or reject content for ads ... and the journal and practitioners benefit as their ads help to reduce our subscription rates and to ENSURE THAT WE HAVE A VEHICLE TO PROFILE THE HEALTH PROMOTION WORK/ ACTIVITIES / RESEARCH THAT WE ARE DOING IN CANADA! A journal such as Health Promotion in Canada has been missing for several years, I for one am glad to have it back. If it means that I get to read information that is important to my work ... I am thrilled! I personally am quite capable of recognizing propaganda and do not feel I have been lead down a garden path I didn't want to go just because pharmaceutical companies are advertising in a Health Promotion journal! I would be very interested in hearing what others have to say ... Tom, if you are still interested in contacting the company that produce the journal ... for a back issue article ... (that presumablly will help your with your work!) ... call (905) 884-2612 or mail to them at Health Promotion in Canada, 360-A Newkirk Rd., Richmond Hill, Ontario, L4C 3G7. Debbie Bang Coordinator/Researcher St. Joseph's Community Health Centre Consumer Health Information Service 2757 King Street East Hamilton, Ontario L8G 5E4 (905) 573-7777 ext. 8054 (905) 573-4828 FAX [log in to unmask] web site: http://www.stjosham.on.ca > "Health Promotion in Canada" (1993-95) was a publication of Health Canada > that succeeded two earlier titles "Health Promotion" (1985-93) and "Health > Education" (1962-85). In 1997, a publication with the same title and > continuing the same volume sequencing started publishing as a "public > private partnership" apparently with a mandate to become self-sustaining > through advertising and subscription revenues. > > I'm wondering if anyone on this list is familiar with the magazine, either > in its current or former incarnation. I was looking for a cited article in a > recent issue (which I didn't find) and had a browse through the Spring 1997 > isssue of the magazine. What I saw certainly gives a unique spin on the > phrase "health promotion". The magazine contained: > > - three prominent advertisements, two from drug manufacturers and the third > from the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association extolling "harmony in > partnerships"; > > - an editorial from Judy Erola, president of PMAC, extolling the virtues of > the proprietary drug industry; > > - an article extolling public private partnerships as "government's new math" > > To my layperson's eye, the magazine would appear to be little more than a > drug industry propaganda vehicle, presumably receiving Health Canada funding > while it "finds it's feet in the marketplace". Could this be what is meant > by the phrase "health promotion"? What has been the response of health > promotion advocates to that magazine and its slant on the concept of health > promotion? > > > Regards, > > Tom Walker > ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ > #408 1035 Pacific St. > Vancouver, B.C. > V6E 4G7 > [log in to unmask] > (604) 669-3286 > ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ > The TimeWork Web: http://www.vcn.bc.ca/timework/ > --openmail-part-009c2dbc-00000002--