Healthy Skepticism Library item: 4427

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

Sorofman B.
Drug promotion in self-care and self-medication
Journal of Drug Issues 1992; 22:377-388

Abstract:

Awareness of self-care for health has increased in recent years. Information is obtained through a wide variety of promotional activities about symptoms and treatments to assist in the determination of self-care actions. Sources of lay oriented self-care information include traditional health industry advertising, lay initiatied self-care/self-hellp information, manufacturers’ direct-to-consumer advertising of prescription drugs and indirect-to-consumer promotional activities such as “medical breakthrough” news releases. This article covers severalforms of medication promotion for self-care and explores the “medicalization” and “pharmaceuticalization” of self-care for health by health professionals.

Keywords:
*nonsystematic review/United States/direct-to-consumer advertising/over-the-counter medications/self-care/patients/press conferences and releases/consumer behaviour & knowledge/ industry generated publicity/ information from companies/value of promotion/medicalization of problems /ATTITUDES REGARDING PROMOTION: CONSUMERS/PATIENTS/INFLUENCE OF PROMOTION: CONSUMERS AND PATIENTS/INFLUENCE OF PROMOTION: MEDICALIZATION OF PROBLEMS/INFLUENCE OF PROMOTION: PRESCRIBING, DRUG USE/PROMOTION AS A SOURCE OF INFORMATION: CONSUMERS AND PATIENTS/PROMOTION DISGUISED: PRESS CONFERENCES AND PRESS COVERAGE/PROMOTION IN SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC AREAS: OTC MEDICATIONS/PROMOTIONAL TECHNIQUES: DIRECT-TO-CONSUMER ADVERTISING