Healthy Skepticism Library item: 3973

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

Rachlis M, Kushner C.
Second opinion: what’s wrong with Canada’s health-care system and how to fix it
1989;

Abstract:

(Limited to parts dealing with promotion-pp.107-115.) Drug companies start offering medical students gifts in their first year of classes. The most successful form of promotion is sales representatives. Each doctor gets about 200 visits from detailers each year, with the greatest efforts being concentrated on the highest prescribing doctors. Advertising in medical journals is a sure way to reach doctors since nearly all of them read at least some medical literature. The presence of drug advertising in scientific publications lends authority to company claims. Drug companies also rely heavily on focus groups of doctors and then use the information they get as the basis for planning marketing strategies. Endorsements for products from prominent doctors used to be especially important to the industry. According to figures from the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association of Canada drug companies spent about $240 million on promotion in 1984 and that figure doesn’t take into account money spent on sponsorship of continuing medical education.

Keywords:
*analysis/Canada/promotion costs and volume/sales representatives/journal advertisements/quality of information/endorsements/focus groups/doctors/gift giving/ETHICAL ISSUES IN PROMOTION: GIFT GIVING/EVALUATION OF PROMOTION: DETAILING/EVALUATION OF PROMOTION: JOURNAL ADVERTISEMENTS/PROMOTIONAL TECHNIQUES: ENDORSEMENTS/VOLUME OF AND EXPENDITURE ON PROMOTION Adult Air Pollution, Indoor/adverse effects* Bronchitis/etiology Bronchitis/radiography* Chronic Disease Energy-Generating Resources Humans Male Tomography, X-Ray Computed*