Healthy Skepticism Library item: 6531

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: news

What drug companies know
Consumer Reports 1994 Oct631

Abstract:

To support their marketing programs, drug companies are soliciting patient lists from physicians and pharmacists. Thye also compile huge mailing lists through package inserts, mailings, and magazine and television ads that offer information about medications to people who call or write. At least one major mailing-list broker is gather the names of the ill and Metromail has a 15 million-name list of patients that it markets to the pharmaceutical industry.

Keywords:
*news story/United States/DTCA/direct-to-consumer advertising/mailing lists/patients/EVALUATION OF PROMOTION: DIRECT-TO-CONSUMER ADVERTISING/PROMOTIONAL TECHNIQUES: COMPILING PATIENT MAILING LISTS