Healthy Skepticism Library item: 2790

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

Torrance GM.
The influence of the drug industry in Canada’s health system
1972 Jan; 48

Abstract:

(Limited to parts of article dealing with promotion.) Findings from the 1960s show that in Canada between 25-30% of net sales of drug companies are spent on marketing with 47% devoted to detailing, 39% to advertising and promotion and the remainder to marketing administration. In 1964, $33 million was spent by 41 companies on promotion of which $25.7 million was directed at physicians. These 41 companies spent about $1150 per doctor in that year. In the United States the average physician receives 216 visits from detailers per year. The volume of advertising in medical journals is such that it usually underwrites the entire cost of publishing and distributing the journals. All the independent bodies which have investigated the cost of promotion have condemned it as costly and wasteful.

Keywords:
*nonsystematic review/Canada/United States/promotion costs and volume/VOLUME OF AND EXPENDITURE ON PROMOTION