Healthy Skepticism Library item: 11657

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

Howell JV.
The world of the market place
BMJ 2007 Oct 6; 335:(7622):683
http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/short/335/7622/683-b?etoc

Abstract:

Magrini and Font discuss direct to consumer advertising,1 but drug promotion at an earlier stage may have already influenced the views of the public and patients.

Current European legislation on drug promotion makes it difficult to define what promotion by a pharmaceutical company before market authorisation entails. Many drug companies employ marketing companies to promote new drugs. The recent premature promotion of Herceptin for early breast cancer is viewed as exemplary by the industry and to be copied.

Releasing early results from high profile trials at major cancer conferences can gain worldwide publicity. When supported by website press releases to inform the stock market, one sided information is freely available in the market place.

The small patient group “Women Fighting for Herceptin” was supported by a leading marketing company.2 The ensuing national media campaign pushed politicians into supporting the unlicensed use of Herceptin and hence undermined the UK Medicines Act . . .

jonathan.howell@lycos.com