Healthy Skepticism Library item: 6041
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
Little bigger, little better.
Lancet. 1994 Sep 3; 344:(8923):627-8
Abstract:
Pharmaceutical companies producing biosynthetic recombinant hormone adopted aggressive marketing techniques with a view to recouping their enormous investment. Charges have been brought against the sales and marketing deparment of one of the companies, Genentech. The drug distribution company Caremark and one its doctors were charged with “kickback schemesâ€-the awarding of thousands of dollars to doctors for doing little more than prescribing the drug. There is also the allegation that Genentech’s marketing practices included payments for surveys to pinpoint short children and channel them to doctors willing to prescribe growth hormone.
Keywords:
*editorial/United States/Genentech/growth hormone/ criminal charges/ drug company sponsored research/ bribery/ marketing strategies/INFLUENCE OF PROMOTION: PRESCRIBING, DRUG USE/PROMOTION DISGUISED: CLINICAL TRIALS/PROMOTIONAL TECHNIQUES: FALSE SCREENING PROGRAMS