Healthy Skepticism Library item: 6820

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

Go on, it’s good for you
The Economist 1998 Aug 851-52

Abstract:

Since the Food and Drug Administration relaxed its guidelines on direct-to-consumer broadcast advertising of prescription drugs spening on has taken off and now exceed $1 billion per year. Almost every marketing group is deveoping a health care team to meet demands from drug companies. Drug advertising may also have public health benefits by making people aware of new treatments. The real marketing gold mine lies in the data about patients that drug companies collect from calls to toll-free numbers and visits to websites. There is as yet, no proof that patients have actually benefited from DTCA and companies tend to promote the most expensive new remedies when a cheaper generic might be just as good. Some companies are altering clinical trials in order to be able to make claims that will appeal to consumers.

Keywords:
*news story/United States/ direct-to-consumer advertising/ DTCA/ broadcast advertisements/ promotion costs and volume/ value of promotion/mailing lists/EVALUATION OF PROMOTION: DIRECT-TO-CONSUMER ADVERTISING/INFLUENCE OF PROMOTION: PRESCRIBING, DRUG USE/PROMOTIONAL TECHNIQUES: COMPILING PATIENT MAILING LISTS/VOLUME OF AND EXPENDITURE ON PROMOTION