Safeway may have broken Health Canada rules for the way it is advertising a vaccine, CBC News has learned.
The grocery chain's pharmacies are selling a one-time shot called Zostavax, which is supposed to prevent shingles — a painful, red, blistering rash that afflicts many seniors.
The vaccine costs about $180 and is not covered by any provincial drug plan in Canada.
Safeway is offering 100 Air Miles to those who buy it.
The offer is advertised in an Air Miles mailout.
The problem is, the ad has no cautionary information as required by Health Canada, including who the vaccine is intended for, and that it should be discussed first with a doctor.
What's more concerning for medical ethicist Arthur Schaffer is that patients are being offered a reward to buy the vaccine.
"Don't be influenced by Air Miles promotions. That's the worst way in making decisions," he said.
"The decision whether or not to put medicine in your body is an important decision, and you should make it with objective information."
Health Canada has told Safeway to obey the rules. And Ronald Guse, the registrar for the Manitoba Pharmaceutical Association, said his organization is looking into the ad.
He told CBC that he will apply the rules that Health Canada "has made us aware of" along with provincial rules around advertising and code of ethics.
Once those things are considered, the association will speak to Safeway and make a judgement at that point if any rules appear to have been broken, Guse said.
A Safeway spokeserson said the missing medical information on its ad was an omission.
"We have taken immediate action to ensure the appropriate cautionary statement is incorporated in all future advertisements," said John Graham.
He also noted that patients still need a doctor's prescription to buy Zostavax.
"So while this statement should have been included, there is some comfort in the level of evaluation a patient receives before Zostavax is administered."
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