Regulation of healthcare advertisements: comparing media regulation of the pharmaceutical industry in Kuwait and the GCC

This paper examines the laws and media regulations pertaining to the advertisement of pharmaceutical products in Kuwait and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), comparing them to those of the UK and US. The findings suggest that Kuwaiti and GCC cultural communication styles result in more ambiguous regulations than in the West. Recommendations are made for positive behavioural modifications to promote health and health literacy, with an emphasis on fatalistic attitudes found in the cultural environment of Arab Gulf states.