Medical students urged not to market health drinks
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The Society of Medical Students of Thailand (SMST) yesterday called on medical students to stop being presenters of intellect-enhancing drinks, citing a violation of professional ethics and endangering their schools' image and integrity.
Skol Charoenweerakul, who chairs the SMST, said such acts were deemed inappropriate because the public might conclude that the students and the medical schools had made a business deal with the manufacturers of the drink.
Violation of ethics
“It is also a violation of professional ethics, under which companies are not allowed to benefit from a medical student’s image or cash in on the SMST, the medical school and the medical practice,” he added.
The manufacturer of one such drink has been the key sponsor of a large tutorial scheme for high-school students preparing for university entrance exams.
A series of television and radio commercials usually depict medical and other students consuming this drink.
The SMST, which is under the patronage of Her Royal Highness Princess Chulabhorn Valayalaksana, said it would be issuing a statement on the issue to the manufacturer.
