Abstract
Drug advertisements in six major journals published in Japan and U. S. A.for physicians and pharmacists have been surveyed. Japanese advertisements showed considerable difference from those of America in the fair balance between the safety and effectiveness, one of the most important concepts in the advertising regulations. It was indicated that such a difference reflected the characteristics of the package insert in each country and the occupying area of each advertisement. Drug advertisement is valuable as a convenient and rapid source of information about prescription drugs, but it is needed in Japan to refer to the other DI sources for details of drug's adverse reactions such as their frequency and dangerousness.
