Healthy Skepticism Library item: 2351

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

Lal A.
Pharmaceutical drug promotion: how it is being practiced in India?
J Assoc Physicians India 2001 Feb; 49:266-73:

Abstract:

The pharmaceutical industries (PI) throughout the World are heavily involved in aggressive drug promotions, with a clear aim to change the prescribing habits of physicians and to encourage the self-medication of patients. Broadly, drug promotion refers to all the informational and persuasive activities of the PI, the effect of which is to induce prescription, supply, purchase, and use of medicinal drugs. It includes the activities of medical representatives, drug advertisements to physicians, provision of gifts and samples, drug package inserts, direct-to-consumer advertisements, periodicals, telemarketing, holding of conferences, symposium and scientific meetings, sponsoring of medical education and conduct of promotional trials. The PI has the right to promote its products, but it should do so in a fair, accurate, and ethical manner. The promotional claims need to be reliable, truthful, informative, balanced, up-to-date, and capable of substantiation in good taste. However, now a days, whilst the promotional methods have become very sophisticated and effective, it was found that while promoting their products, the PI does not adhere to these ethical principles. Hence, in most situations, these lead to irrational use of drugs. This unfortunate situation could be tackled only by the multiple prong strategy involving government, PI, doctors, medical associations and consumers. The government is required to formulate some guidelines in addition to developing their own code. The doctors and consumers are required to be educated on the promotional practices and abuses committed by the PI and different ways to tackle those. Various medical and consumer groups should also intervene to improve the scenario of promotion.

Keywords:
Publication Types: Review MeSH Terms: Advertising/economics Advertising/legislation & jurisprudence Advertising/methods* Drug Industry/organization & administration* Drug and Narcotic Control Ethics, Pharmacy Guidelines Humans India Quality of Health Care