Healthy Skepticism Library item: 4370
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
Lexchin J.
Pharmaceutical promotion in the Third World
Journal of Drug Issues 1992; 22:417-453
Abstract:
The pharmaceutical industry is motivated by profit and it is the quest for ever larger sales and profits that determines how the industry promotes its products. This paper analyzes the methods that drug companies use in marketing their drugs to doctors and consumers and the consequences in terms of costs and health. Some of the drugs advertised are valuable, others are irrational mixtures, useless or dangerous and should not be on the market. Even for products of proven worth the companies have a double standard when it comes to promoting them in the Third World. The International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Associations does have a Code of Marketing Practice, but major weaknesses in the Code render it almost impotent in regulating promotion. When consumers and health care professionals question the tactics of the industry, the response is usually to attack the credibility of the critics rather than to deal with the issues that they raise. Physicians and consumers are strongly influenced by pharmaceutical promotion, with all too predictable results: doctors prescribe irrationally and consumers develop grossly distorted ideas about the value of modern medications. Reforms to promotional practices are possible, but may be beyond the resources of Third World countries. Achieving these reforms will require the efforts of Third World countries, progressive elements in the pharmaceutical industry, consumer and professional groups and some form of organized international support.
Keywords:
*nonsystematic review/developing countries/sales representatives/promotion costs and volume/regulation of promotion/quality of prescribing/pharmacies and pharmacists/quality of information/International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Associations/IFPMA/World Health Organization/WHO/Medical Lobby for Appropriate Marketing/MaLAM/Health Action International/HAI/Code of Pharmaceutical Marketing Practices (IFPMA)/Ethical Criteria for Medicinal Drug Promotion/direct-to-consumer advertising/consumer behaviour & knowledge/relationship between medical profession and industry/attitude toward promotion/drug exports/profit motive/commercial compendia/sponsored symposia & conferences/gift giving/generics/drug samples/journal advertisements/consumer groups/health and healthcare/ATTITUDES REGARDING PROMOTION: HEALTH PROFESSIONALS/ATTITUDES REGARDING PROMOTION: INDUSTRY/ETHICAL ISSUES IN PROMOTION: GIFT GIVING/ETHICAL ISSUES IN PROMOTION: PAYMENT FOR MEALS, ACCOMODATION, TRAVEL, ENTERTAINMENT/EVALUATION OF PROMOTION: COMMERCIAL DRUG COMPENDIA/EVALUATION OF PROMOTION: COMPARISON BETWEEN DEVELOPING AND DEVELOPED COUNTRIES/EVALUATION OF PROMOTION: DETAILING/EVALUATION OF PROMOTION: JOURNAL ADVERTISEMENTS/EVALUATION OF PROMOTION: LABELLING AND PACKAGE INSERTS/EVALUATION OF PROMOTION: SAMPLES/INFLUENCE OF PROMOTION: ACCESS TO ESSENTIAL DRUGS/INFLUENCE OF PROMOTION: CONSUMER DRUG COSTS/INFLUENCE OF PROMOTION: FORMULARY INCLUSION/INFLUENCE OF PROMOTION: HEALTH AND HEALTH CARE/INFLUENCE OF PROMOTION: PRESCRIBING, DRUG USE/PROMOTION AND HEALTH NEEDS: PROMOTION IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES/PROMOTION AS A SOURCE OF INFORMATION: CONSUMERS AND PATIENTS/PROMOTION AS A SOURCE OF INFORMATION: DOCTORS/PROMOTION AS A SOURCE OF INFORMATION: PHARMACISTS/PROMOTION DISGUISED: CONFERENCES AND MEETINGS/PROMOTION DISGUISED: DISINFORMATION AND HARASSMENT/PROMOTION DISGUISED: SUPPORT FOR CME/PROMOTIONAL TECHNIQUES: DIRECT-TO-CONSUMER ADVERTISING/REGULATION, CODES, GUIDELINES: COMPLIANCE, SANCTIONS, STANDARDS/REGULATION, CODES, GUIDELINES: DIRECT GOVERNMENT REGULATION/REGULATION, CODES, GUIDELINES: INDUSTRY SELF-REGULATION/REGULATION, CODES, GUIDELINES: INTERNATIONAL CODES/VOLUME OF AND EXPENDITURE ON PROMOTION
