Healthy Skepticism Library item: 4099

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

Roeg N.
The other drug trade
Adbusters 1990; 1:(4):80-87
www.adbusters.org/adbusters/

Abstract:

The article documents promotional practices used by the pharmaceutical industry including giving away computers and other smaller gifts, sales representatives and allowing doctors to claim continuing medical education credits for reading promotion. The author wonders whether promotion is prompting doctors to use drugs when they are not necessary. The author also discusses the influence that drug companies have on the editorial contents of some medical journals and how it influences the course of medical research.

Keywords:
*analysis/Canada/United States/continuing medical education/CME/gift giving/quality of prescribing/sales representatives/promotion costs and volume/editorial freedom/drug company sponsored research/ research priorities/ relationship between medical profession and industry /ATTITUDES REGARDING PROMOTION: INDUSTRY/ETHICAL ISSUES IN PROMOTION: GIFT GIVING/ETHICAL ISSUES IN PROMOTION: LINKS BETWEEN HEALTH PROFESSIONALS AND INDUSTRY/ETHICAL ISSUES IN PROMOTION: PAYMENT FOR MEALS, ACCOMODATION, TRAVEL, ENTERTAINMENT/INFLUENCE OF PROMOTION: PRESCRIBING, DRUG USE/PROMOTION AS A SOURCE OF INFORMATION: DOCTORS/PROMOTION DISGUISED: CLINICAL TRIALS/PROMOTION DISGUISED: SUPPORT FOR CME/SPONSORSHIP: RESEARCH/VOLUME OF AND EXPENDITURE ON PROMOTION