Healthy Skepticism Library item: 6455

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

Shaughnessy AF, Slawson DC, Bennett JH.
Separating the wheat from the chaff: identifying fallacies in pharmaceutical promotion.
J Gen Intern Med 1994 Oct; 9:(10):563-8

Abstract:

The authors assume that pharmaceutical promotion is here to stay and that the goal should be to make the targets of such efforts “informed consumers.” They present some of the techniques of influence in terms of the “appeals” that are made and then offer some ways in which health care professionals can prepare themselves to separate the useful information from the useless misinformation that frequently accompanies it.

Keywords:
*analysis/United States/influence techniques/gift giving/drug company sponsored meals and travel/doctors/sales representatives/EDUCATING ABOUT PROMOTION: HEALTH PROFESSIONALS/ETHICAL ISSUES IN PROMOTION: GIFT GIVING/EVALUATION OF PROMOTION: DETAILING/EVALUATION OF PROMOTION: INFLUENCE TECHNIQUES Advertising* Drug Industry* Humans Logic* Persuasive Communication