Healthy Skepticism Library item: 6750

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

Brown P.
Talking to patients—a dangerous road for industry?
Scrip Magazine 1997 Jul-Aug; (59):3-4
www.pjbpubs.co.uk/scrip/scrhome.html

Abstract:

Pharmaceutical companies would like to direct more their communications towards patients. Pharmaceutical company executives outside the United States wish that they had the same freedom with respect to direct-to-consumer advertising of prescription drugs as exists in the U.S. The author thinks that there is potentially a conflict of interest between the commercial ambitions of companies and the objective information needed by patients. In order for pharmaceutical companies to fulfill their duty to provide full information to patients they need to work closely with doctors and pharmacists.

Keywords:
*analysis/direct-to-consumer advertising/DTCA/conflict of interest/marketing strategies/quality of information/ATTITUDES REGARDING PROMOTION: INDUSTRY/PROMOTIONAL STRATEGIES: INDUSTRY/PROMOTIONAL TECHNIQUES: DIRECT-TO-CONSUMER ADVERTISING