This study investigates how advertising campaigns for drugs influence drug prescription practices among physicians from a point of view of "protection ethics" and of "intervention bioethics". It also analyzes information quality in advertisements for prescription drugs before and after the ANVISA (National Agency for Sanitary Protection) RDC 102/200 Resolution wich regulates drugs advertising as well as discusses the regulating role of the state in this area. A first approach was to interview 50 physicians in Brasília/DF (25 general physicians and 25 surgeons) in order to examine how they perceive the effects of advertisement on their professional activities. A second approach was to study 10 publicity pieces, five from before and five from after the RDC Resolution. The results showed that: a) 98% of phsicians are visited by sales representatives on a regular basis; b) 86% of physicians receive gifts during these visits; c) 68% beleive that advertising strongly influences prescription practices; d) 14% related prescription practices to the receival of rewards; e) 68% beleive that information contained in advertisements is unreliable; f) before the RDC Resolution, 28% of advertisements had adequate information content (counter-indications, indications precautions, warnings, and adverse reactions); after the RDC Resolution, that number grew to 79%.

RESUMOEste trabalho analisa a monitoração e fiscalização da propaganda de produtos sujeitos à vigilância sanitária, um processo influenciado por mudanças sociais e econômicas, pela evolução da ciência e pelo ordenamento jurídico. O artigo mostra como o ordenamento jurídico e seus operadores têm acompanhado as questões relacionadas ao tema, utilizando como diretrizes básicas a proteção efetiva aos direitos primordiais do ser humano como a vida, a integridade física, entre outras. Neste sentido, a produção de normas regulamentadoras neste ramo tem buscado cada vez mais refletir as necessidades da sociedade civil, abrangendo assim os anseios da coletividade. Palavras-chaveAlimentos; Bioética; Consumo; Publicidade; Regulação. ABSTRACTThis work analyzes the fiscalizaron of the advertisement of products which are regulated by the sanitary vigilance, a process influenced for social and economic changes, evolution of science and for the legal system. This article approaches how the legal system and its operators have dealed with the questions related to the subject, using the protection to the fundamental rights such as right to life, physical integrity, among others. In this direction,