Healthy Skepticism Library item: 17172

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: Electronic Source

Wokasch M
5 Major Sources of Market Distrust of the Pharmaceutical Industry
Pharma Reform 2010 Feb 7
http://www.pharmareform.com/2010/02/07/5-major-sources-of-market-distrust-of-the-pharmaceutical-industry/

Full text:

No single event, single offense, issue, or individual company can be identified as the source of or considered responsible for the market distrust of the pharmaceutical industry. This has been a cumulative affect over the past 30 years or so of modern day Pharma. It is important to identify, recognize, and acknowledge the sources of distrust before solutions can credibly and effectively be formulated. Here are the 5 major sources of market distrust of the pharmaceutical industry:

Lack of honesty and full disclosure about product information (Corporate, Marketing, Sales, and Scientific integrity issues)
Not disclosing, not acknowledging or downplaying potential serious adverse reactions and side effects (e.g., many including Fen-Phen, Vioxx®, OxyContin® , Ketek®)
Exaggerated product claims in marketing or in sales presentations…especially comparative claims
Scientific data manipulation to highlight benefits, exaggerate efficacy while carefully downplaying side effects and adverse reactions
Deception in advertising (paid actors or celebrities to project credibility as they play healthcare providers or miraculously recovered or satisfied patients) “Off-label” promotion (e.g., many such as Neurontin® and Bextra®)
Companies not willing to spend the money to prove the claims but willing to encourage physicians to subject patients to uncontrolled experimental use
Questionable physician payments, inducements, and “conflicts of interest”
Extraordinary Speaking fees and resort location training programs
Excessive consulting fees, including suspect clinical study payments
Board of Director fees (hundreds of thousands of dollars)
Office practice meals, tchotchkes, and other perks
Expensive meals, cultural or sporting events (e.g., Broadway shows, golf outings) for physicians and other healthcare providers who can influence prescribing
Pervasiveness of industry influence on scientific and medical communications
Promotional programs presented as CME
CME program development and sponsorship
Medical Science Liaisons as safe harbors for scientific exchange of product information
Publications, including sponsoring ghostwritten articles and books
Journal advertising in medical journals
Scientific and medical conference participation and exhibits
Internet medical information sites
Pricing practices
Pricing fraud (especially as it relates to Medicare and Medicaid)
Unsubstantiated high prices (lacking credible rationale or cost benefit data)
High price increases (recent 9.3% increase compared to -0.3% for general inflation (CPI-U)
This is now a complex, multifaceted, and time entrenched distrust. Can the industry afford to ignore it? If the industry or a company decides to work on this, what should they do? What can they do? Stay tuned.