[The advertising message of drugs advertisements in Spanish medical journals].

Objective: To describe the characteristics of advertising in Spanish medical journals and to analyze the advertising message in drug advertisements.

Methods: Six issues of 4 Spanish medical journals published in 2001 were reviewed to identify the number of advertisements and their characteristics. The journals selected were Atención Primaria, Anales Españoles de Pediatría, Medicina Clínica and Gaceta Sanitaria.