Healthy Skepticism Library item: 2994

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

Hughes R, Brewin R.
The tranquilizing of America: pill popping and the American way of life
1979;

Abstract:

The chemical solution to mental health problems is what the drug companies sell, spending $1.5-2.0 billion dollars a year. The money that the companies spend raises the cost of health care significantly. Physicians get multiple gifts from drug companies and the companies subsidize the cost of continuing medical education. Moreover, this relationship is not only tolerated, but actively encouraged, by elements in the medical community. Traditionally, the marketing of prescription drugs has taken three forms: sales representatives, journal advertising and direct mailing. The chapter critically analyzes each of these three forms of promotion.

Keywords:
*analysis/United States/doctors/sales representatives/journal advertisements/direct mail/continuing medical education/corporate funding/promotion costs and volume/gift giving/American Medical Association/AMA/Food and Drug Administration/FDA/ attitude toward industry/ sponsored symposia & conferences/ relationship between medical profession and industry/ reaction to critics/ commercial compendia/ Physicians’ Desk Reference/ quality of information/ quality of prescribing/ source of information/psychotropic drugs/ relationship between medical journals and industry/ profit motive/ controlled circulation journals/ATTITUDES REGARDING PROMOTION: HEALTH PROFESSIONALS/ATTITUDES REGARDING PROMOTION: MEDICAL JOURNALS/ATTITUDES REGARDING PROMOTION: SALES REPRESENTATIVES/ETHICAL ISSUES IN PROMOTION: GIFT GIVING/ETHICAL ISSUES IN PROMOTION: LINKS BETWEEN HEALTH PROFESSIONALS AND INDUSTRY/EVALUATION OF PROMOTION: COMMERCIAL DRUG COMPENDIA/EVALUATION OF PROMOTION: CONTROLLED CIRCULATION JOURNALS AND JOURNAL SUPPLEMENTS/EVALUATION OF PROMOTION: DETAILING/EVALUATION OF PROMOTION: DIRECT MAIL/EVALUATION OF PROMOTION: JOURNAL ADVERTISEMENTS/INFLUENCE OF PROMOTION: JOURNALISTS/INFLUENCE OF PROMOTION: PRESCRIBING, DRUG USE/PROMOTION AS A SOURCE OF INFORMATION: DOCTORS/PROMOTION DISGUISED: CONFERENCES AND MEETINGS/PROMOTION DISGUISED: JOURNAL SUPPLEMENTS, CONTROLLED CIRCULATION JOURNALS AND NEWSLETTERS/PROMOTION DISGUISED: SUPPORT FOR CME/PROMOTION IN SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC AREAS: PSYCHIATRIC DISEASES/REGULATION, CODES, GUIDELINES: DIRECT GOVERNMENT REGULATION/VOLUME OF AND EXPENDITURE ON PROMOTION