Healthy Skepticism Library item: 2884

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

Schwartzman D.
Promotional expenditures
The Johns Hopkins University Press 1976; 182-211

Abstract:

This chapter evaluated the case against the promotional activities of the pharmaceutical industry. There is no basis for the argument that promotion has led to overprescribing and to harmful treatment of patients. Promotional efforts in this industry have provided essential informational service to doctors. The cost of promotion was considered and it was not found to be excessive. The apparently high ratio of advertising expenditures to sales can be explained by the special need for information in this industry, and by the large number of companies, doctors, and products. From the standpoint of the benefits of information to doctors and patients, a reasonable case can be made for the position that the expenditures on promotion by the industry have been inadequate rather than excessive.

Keywords:
*analysis/*mathematical modeling/United States/value of promotion/promotion costs and volume/quality of information/quality of prescribing/doctors/general public and consumers/EVALUATION OF PROMOTION: GENERAL QUALITY OF INFORMATION/INFLUENCE OF PROMOTION: HEALTH AND HEALTH CARE/INFLUENCE OF PROMOTION: PRESCRIBING, DRUG USE/PROMOTION AS A SOURCE OF INFORMATION: DOCTORS/VOLUME OF AND EXPENDITURE ON PROMOTION