ADVERTISING BY DRUG COMPANIES

Advertising by Drug Companies

Advertising by Drug Companies

Introduction

Drugs are very special goods. Used them in the correct way that can preserve and prolong life or improve health.

The pharmaceutical industry is different from other industries marketing efforts because of the consumer-agent health care demand relationship. The marketing advertisement has taken by medical journals and magazines and visit by sales representative to physician offices and hospitals. Physicians always report their first source of information about new drugs from pharmaceutical company representatives. However, we should concern about whether the drug commercialization has been the best interest of patients.

Discussion

By studying, over 90% drugs advertisement has found misleading and incomplete. Recent years, the drug advertisement has aimed directly to the patient. These advertisements, such as in the press and on television, urge patients often tell their physicians that they would like to try the particular product. Will consumers be responsive to such advertising? Is it inappropriate for physicians? The pharmaceuticals industry spends at least $5 billion annually on advertising and marketing-more than $8000 for every physician in the United States. In fact, the drug industry spends approximately $1 billion more on marketing and advertising than on research.(Pharmaceutical economics and policy, 1997)

Recently, in the pharmaceutical industry, the advertising standards, consumerism has lead to what called “ direct to consumer(DTC) advertising of prescription drugs. This advertising involves magazine and television advertisement suggesting various prescription drugs for medical treatment and also suggesting that the viewer as their physician whether the medication appropriate for them. However, there are different sounds about the advertisement. Some feel that the advertisements provide medical education for the public and some feel that the advertisements are misleading, lead to viewer self-diagnosis, moreover, it might be an unnecessary burden for physicians who must to respond to patient's questions about some medications. A survey found that 66% of consumers believed that prescription drug advertisements provide useful information, and 50% felt that this information would benefit the consumer(Pharmaceutical economics and policy, 1997). On the other hand, physicians, 84% opposed this form of advertising in television. The reason was that they felt the advertising undermined the doctor-patient relationship. Because it is encouraging patients to make demands for drugs(Pharmaceutical economics and policy, 1997).

Commercialization strategies commercialization of drugA good commercialization needs good advertisement strategies. Advertising strategies represent one of the most significant and understand factors in business success. Commercialization assumes an increasingly important role as companies to seek different from their competitors and to create new brands for exploring to the markets. Traditionally, the drug advertisement was aimed at physicians, however, nowadays the aimed not only at physicians but also at consumers, hospitals, and third-party payers. All of them now influence drug purchases. The commercialization include newspaper conferences, media coverage, video news releases, sponsored publications, discussions with the investment community of drug development, along with advertising aimed directly at the consumer(Pharmaceutical economics and policy, 1997).

Direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertising, a $ 3.2 billion industry in the United States. It is for the prescription drug promotion and through newspaper, magazine, television ...