GSK Pulls Dominican Hepatitis Risk Ads After Political Pressure

(MoneyWatch)  GlaxoSmithKline has pulled a campaign promoting hepatitis vaccines for travelers to the Dominican Republic following political pressure from the government there, even though DR is a hotspot for hepatitis and travelers really should consider vaccinations before going.

The DR government requested the ad be pulled because it was harming tourism, according to Dominican Today. Canadians are major visitors to the island nation. GSK makes Twinrix, a hep vaccine.

The ad campaign was first noticed by the Dominican government a few days ago. It said, "You can even get it in places like the Dominican Republic; It's almost impossible to detect where hepatitis B can be found." GSK said that it periodically promotes the vaccination among Canadians travelers, and that this year's campaign mentions the Dominican Republic. Tourism minister Francisco Javier Garcia said the arrival of Canadian visitors to DR grew almost 9 percent last year, "it was key to get [sic] Dominican Republic":

GlaxoSmithKline infers that our destination poses a risk for travelers from that country.

The damages to the image of Dominican Republic are irreparable.

DR is in fact a risky country in terms of hepatitis. This map of hep risk shows DR as an "intermediate" risk company. Most American and West European countries are low risk. Canadian travelers are still urged to get vaccines before going to certain countries, but only in the vaguest terms. The ad ban raises the prospect that some Canadian holidaymakers may unwittingly contract hep on the island, when they could have been warned ahead of visiting.

Dominicans are divided on the issue, according to this bulletin board. Some typical posts:

Generoso: What the hell? Let's sue the pharmaceutical bastards for slander and defamation. We have good grounds to sue them at home right where it hurts and demand $$$$ reparations.

gouletcolonial: for what telling the truth in a very nice way ....you have to be kidding