Healthy Skepticism Library item: 19761

Warning: This library includes all items relevant to health product marketing that we are aware of regardless of quality. Often we do not agree with all or part of the contents.

Publication type: Journal Article

Weston E
A Drug by Any Other Name: Brand Power in the Pharmaceutical Industry
New Doctor 1999; (71):2-7
http://www.drs.org.au/journal/71/71brand.htm

Abstract:

Brand power thrives in the pharmaceutical industry. Trademarks underpin drug promotion, while patents are the keystone of the industry’s research. When used in tandem, both tools of intellectual property prevent market incursion by cheaper, possibly equivalent generics. Multinational drug companies use domestic and international fora to secure these objectives. This article explores the intersection of patent expiry and power branding, to demonstrate how pharmaceutical conglomerates may have manipulated the medical profession.