The Pros And Cons Of Pharmaceutical Advertising
opinionated Essay
1356 words
Pharmaceutical companies have a wide variety of scientific evidence based on their previous and most recent clinical trials on every type of drug they introduce in the advertising world. However, one of the few problems they are facing is that there is too much information being presented to the consumer during broadcast advertisements. In turn due to the overwhelming amount of information, consumers are missing key medical facts that are needed to make an informed decision regarding their health. While all ads appear to list both the positives and negatives of the medication, some advertisements may be more misleading than others.
The Food and Drug administration states that “Under the regulations, pharmaceutical companies are required to submit all drug advertisements to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) when they are first disseminated to the public” (Prescription Drugs). Federal regulation on the pharmaceutical ads state that broadcast ads should have a fair balance of benefits and risk information about the product they are talking about. Every pharmaceutical company is supposed to adhere by
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In this essay, the author
- Explains that pharmaceutical companies have a wide variety of scientific evidence based on their previous and most recent clinical trials on every type of drug they introduce in the advertising world, but too much information is presented to the consumer during broadcast advertisements.
- States that pharmaceutical companies are required to submit all drug advertisements to the food and drug administration when they are first disseminated. federal regulations state that broadcast ads should have a fair balance of benefits and risk information.
- Explains that with the amount of advertisement revision requests, it is likely that some will fall through the cracks while the staff of the fda try to sort through them all.
- Explains that the guidelines for television ads differ slightly from those of print ads, which are usually found in doctor offices, magazines or medical journals.
- Argues that direct-to-consumer advertising has had a resounding effect on not only the consumer but the physicians.
- Opines that physicians are giving into their patients’ medication demands and it is becoming an issue with over medication people when they could achieve the same results with a simple lifestyle change of diet and exercise. broadcast ads are lacking on the informative side.
- Explains that direct-to-consumer advertising led to an increase in sales of certain medications, and that it lacks consumer friendly language.
- Explains that pharmaceutical industries have spent almost $5 billion a year in medicinal advertising. new zealand allows direct-to-consumer advertising for this degree.
- Opines that direct-to-consumer pharmaceutical advertisements exacerbate unhappiness about normal experiences and heightened expectations of drug benefits.
- Opines that advertising has become a double edged sword for the pharmaceutical industry. rising increases in medications and health care make it harder for consumers to keep up with the health standards of their physicians.
- Argues that direct-to-consumer advertising can do more harm than good. pharmaceutical companies and physicians are beginning to pave the way of over medicating the population. not all medical testing can differentiate one illness from another.
These advertisements have been known to give a large amount of information in a brief period of time that leaves viewers with some questions that remain unanswered until they reach out to their physicians or the internet. Print ads must also have a fair balance of the risks and benefits of the medication, but should also include the side effects, contradictions and overall effectiveness of that medication. “Drug ads were required to include both the name of the drug and its purpose, as well as information about all the side effects. But side-effect information often took two or three magazine pages of mouse print to catalog, and this wouldn’t do for a major television campaign” (Spiegel
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- The Unethical Impacts of Direct to Consumer Drug Advertisinganalytical essayOver the last several years, pharmaceutical companies have launched a campaign style called Direct to Consumer Drug Advertising or known as DTCA. This campaign has led to a large increase of clinical examinations has led to a large increase in clinical examination and this makes the pharmaceutical companies happy and helps padding their pockets. Using this type of advertising, these drug companies allow details of a particular drug to spread to a potential patient and then most likely pushed by the doctor upon visit. These types of advertising campaigns are focused on trying to “enrich” the consumer (Relman p28). Even though this type of advertising campaign allows most drugs to be cheaper overall, consumers should be concerned about the ethical and psychological effect it might have because of the type of massive advertising campaign it has become. This particular study will go on to explain the unethical impact a campaign like this has on side effects and addictions (Findlay p39).
In this essay, the author
- Explains that pharmaceutical companies have launched a campaign style called direct to consumer drug advertising or dtca, which has led to an increase in clinical examinations and padding their pockets.
- Explains how the media has increased advertising in the united states over the last twenty years to both consumers and doctors. the media targets sources like magazines, internet, tv and social networks to gain the consumers attention.
- Explains that the physician to patient method was used most in marketing pharmaceuticals in the early 80's, when the first direct to consumer drug advertising campaign came out to the public.
- Explains that the fda's 1997 fda reform allowed drug companies to use brand names and other patents in their advertisements.
- Analyzes how direct to consumer advertising has caused a higher prescription usage request to doctors and the pharmacists don't question the need for the medication or its use.
- Opines that there is a dire need for the ethical treatment of patients and the delivery of efficient healthcare practices.
- Analyzes the ethical conflict of over-the-counter drugs like viagra, which is prescribed as a form of treatment for erectile dysfunction in men.
- Explains that dtca is heavily affecting doctors-patient relationship through unethical prescribing practices, which in turn causes a lot of losses. an effective campaign needs to focus on in depth communication between doctors and patients.
- Explains that direct to consumer advertising has a varied negative/positive effect depending on each individual position.
- Explains that most doctors think that this type of advertising campaign is failing in providing a balance of information. nobody really knows if it helps improve patient’s health or increases patient correspondence with their doctor.
- Opines that otc medication has intensified because of advertising, but these advertisements allow the consumer to exercise their right of views, regardless of doctor recommendations.
1123 wordsRead More - The Pros And Cons Of Prescription Advertisinganalytical essayAccording to an Apr. 2013 survey, 68% of doctors agree that prescription drugs are marketed before safety profiles can be known (Meyer). Theses ads use manipulation and distract the viewer from the potential harms of the medication. For example, the ads for Humira, a drug to help cure psoriasis, uses propaganda to sell its product. Although they do mention all the possible side effects, including death, they do so while a woman in the background looks happy and so confident that it almost makes people ignore what they are saying. Prescription ads promote drugs before long-term safety information is known. Although prescription ads inform people about possible treatment, it ultimately can be harmful to the consumer’s health because the effects
In this essay, the author
- Explains that vioxx was advertised, requested, and prescribed from 1999 to 2004 for arthritis and pain relief before being withdrawn from the market for causing strokes and heart attacks.
- Analyzes how dtc prescription drug ads create the idea that normal conditions are "bad," resulting in the stigmatization of non-problematic conditions.
- Opines that prescription drug ads can inform people about possible diseases/ medical conditions and treatments, but they do so in a way that is misleading people. they are manipulating, money suckers, and deadly.
- Explains that prescription ads promote drugs before long-term safety information is known. they use propaganda and plain-folks appeal to sell their product.
- Analyzes how prescription drug ads appeal to human nature's want of instant gratification and solution, which makes them appealing to certain viewers.
1626 wordsRead More - The Issue Of DTCAanalytical essayAlmost a third of adults say that they have spoken to their doctor about a drug they saw advertised on television and forty-four percent of those patients were prescribed the medication.(6) Pharmaceutical companies market their drugs in the most favorable light, oftentimes mitigating rare but significant side effects.(7) Most provide typical product information, along with vague descriptions of benefits; however, significantly fewer provide the ―prevalence of, risk factors for, or causes of the condition.(7)
In this essay, the author
- Explains that the fda changed their policies regarding direct-to-consumer advertising of prescription drugs in 1997. the united states and new zealand are the only countries that allow dtca for marketing of pharmaceuticals.
- Explains that physicians are the first direct link between a patient/consumer and their drug company.
- Describes a study in the journal of the american medical association concerning drug advertising and the psychological influence on physician decisions and prescribing methods.
- Explains that a study in the journal of the american medical association compared physicians who attended pharmaceutical drug company conferences and extended resort trips.
- Explains that dtcaan average spending on physician marketing including samples and face-to-face promotion from drug companies in 2013 topped at 20.7 billion dollars.
- Analyzes how pharmaceutical companies market their drugs in the most favorable light, often mitigating rare but significant side effects. most provide typical product information, along with vague descriptions of benefits, but significantly fewer provide the prevalence of, risk factors for, or causes of the condition.
694 wordsRead More - FDA's Approval of Prescription Drugsexplanatory essayThere are many direct to consumer advertising for prescription drugs. On television, magazines, radio etc, you see the most recent advertisements for prescription drugs. After some people see the advertisements they soon rush over to their doctor and their illness and life would be perfectly pain and stress free. Making the public conscious of options for treatment is not a bad thing. But these false advertisements are misleading consumers onto unnecessary treatment.
In this essay, the author
- Opines that direct to consumer advertising for prescription drugs is misleading consumers onto unnecessary treatment.
- Explains that prescription medications ads tell the consumers to get treatment and also imply that they have a need for it to solve their problems.
- Explains that a supply and demand industry is used by the pharmaceutical industry. the drug company or advertiser should create demand in the market, otherwise no sales will occur.
- Explains that the fda and merck are the two main drug producing companies that have been brought up for unethical findings in within the company.
- Explains that merck is the world's fifth largest pharmaceutical firm and is best known for producing drugs such as singular for asthma and seasonal allergic rhinitis, fosomax for osteoporosis.
- Explains that merck's most popular drugs are coming to a close to their patent expiration. one of the best selling drugs is called zocar, which is used for cholesterol problems.
- Explains that zocar's elimination from the market will erase the $5.2 billion sales annually, while fosomax, an osteoporosis relieving drug, produced by merck will soon lose the$ 2.2 billion annual sales because of the expiration of its patent.
- Explains that vioxx is a prescription painkiller drug introduced by merck and co.
- Explains that vioxx doubled the risk of a heart attack or stroke for patients who have used it for more than 18 months. the fda issued an advisory after merck removed it from the market.
- Explains that the most recent case against vioxx, started last november of 2005, was filed by a widow, named evelyn irvin plunkeet.
- Explains that the trial of the current case is being held in houston, texas. the lawyer of ms.plunkets is andy birchfield of montgomery, alabama.
- Explains that merck's defense attorney phillip s. beck claims that the pain relieving drug did not trigger the heart attack that caused the death of mr. irvin.
- Explains that merck's primary defense is to show that the company did all in its power to take precautions to make sure that vioxx was not dangerous for consumers use.
- Explains that the current case is the third, so far, over the drug vioxx risks. merck won a case in new jersey this past november 2005.
- Opines that vioxx's case will have a large impact on the company, owners, creditors, employees, regulators, and people of the community.
- Opines that cutting jobs would be the fastest way to conserve money in the event of a federal lawsuit.
- Explains that merck's stocks are also impacted the most. employees who have pensions inside the company, have probably lost it.
- Explains that investors suffered a big loss if they still had merck's stock after the drug vioxx was taken off the market. the lawsuits will be in the $4 billion through wall street journal.
- Opines that the public should beware of merck's stock and its performance recently in the market.
- Explains that creditors are affected by merck's failure to pay back their credit cards, and that the last resort would be to file for bankruptcy.
- Explains that merck's new ceo, richard clark, has many strategies to help it through its rough times. these include cost cutting, layoffs, and restructuring the sales and marketing unit.
- Opines that merck is not to blame for misleading the public about the effects of the pain-reliever vioxx.
1537 wordsRead More - Chemoprevention Essayanalytical essayWe live in a world where being medicated has become a societal norm. Modern health care practices have set the stage for the proliferation of direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) of prescription drugs by pharmaceutical manufacturers. Some of these practices include the emergence of managed care organizations (MCOs), the legalization of DTCA of prescription drugs, the emergence of the Internet as an alternative promotional channel, the increased desire by patients to become more involved in their own health care decisions, the disillusionment with traditional medicine, and the rise of ‘alternative’ medicine, to name a few. There is an ongoing debate as to the ultimate harm or benefit of this relatively recent practice of pharmaceutical manufacturers to direct their promotional efforts away from the physician and towards the consumer.
In this essay, the author
- Argues that modern health care practices have set the stage for the proliferation of direct-to-consumer advertising (dtca) of prescription drugs by pharmaceutical manufacturers.
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- Analyzes how the shift from medicalization to biomedicalization has shifted the public perception that heredity is the cause of breast cancer.
- Explains that non-pharmacologic primary prevention strategies such as mastectomies have been investigated with promising but controversial results.
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In this essay, the author
- Opines that they find the medication commercials to be interesting. all of them claim to work miracles on whatever may be ailing you, whether it is eczema or arthritis.
- Opines that the way afrezza's commercials market the medication - people walking with food popping out of different locations while they do different activities at what looks like the park- doesn't strike them as the best way.
311 wordsRead More - Television, radio, and billboard advertisements for pharmaceuticals are commonplace in today’s society. Nonetheless, the debate concerning Big Pharma’s direct-to-consumer marketing ploy takes place in the realm of medicine, business, and certainly public health. Each party utilizes tactics that rests on various points on the spectrum of coercion, thus having different expectations of the role governmental authorities. One shared commonality, however, is the focus on the consumer’s rights and liberties. Through ethical and human rights perspectives, it is possible to dissect three philosophies used to leverage current day practices of pharmaceutical companies, American consumers, and public health professionals. Based on ethical and human rights lenses, the field of public health urges the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to enforce strict regulations in the way medication is marketed, if not severely limit the number of ads being produced.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes the debate regarding big pharma's direct-to-consumer marketing ploy in the realm of medicine, business, and public health.
- Analyzes how drugs are marketed effectively by presenting broad, non-specific symptoms, which can be remedied with a certain medication. this parallels cass sunstein's ideas of structured choice.
- Argues that public health is often faced with situations where there is dissonance between ethics and human rights.
- Analyzes how the arguments used in pharmaceutical advertising debates echoed the discourse used when restrictions were first applied to tobacco advertisements in the 1930s.
- Analyzes how mark twain captured the importance of historical perspectives to guide decisions for current social issues.
- Argues that the lack of regulation on advertising exacerbates the disconnect between health and money.
- Describes the topics covered in the human rights module of the american academy for the advancement of science.
- Explains sullum, j., thaler, r. and squires, d.
1369 wordsRead More - malekanalytical essayThis article discusses the difficulties that consumers have had with following prescription medication instructions and highlights the need to ensure that patients understand medication instructions more clearly. It then makes several recommendations as to how to make this happen with regard to prescription writing, prescription labeling, and communication. This is relevant to my project because it suggests ways to improve patient health literacy specifically when it comes to prescription medications. Although this is only one facet of the healthcare field, the dangers associated with misunderstandings of drug use are monumental. Improving health literacy in this way will be one contributing factor to an overall better understanding of healthcare.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how literacy disparities affect the search for health information on the internet and the outcomes of internet use.
- States that the brief defines health literacy, describes how it is essential to promote health in the individual and communities, and presents policy implications of the first national assessment of adult literacy
- Explains the importance of recognizing low levels of health literacy and the role of universal precautions in improving access to health-related information.
- Explains the importance of health literacy in choosing health insurance. the study examined 51 uninsured adults' knowledge and preferences using an interview format.
1792 wordsRead More - Off-Label Use of Prescription Drugsexplanatory essayAlthough the pharmaceutical industry says that prescription medicines are as safe as they can possibly be, prescribed drugs have a high increase of risking a patient’s health. According to the law, drug makers seek Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for specific uses of their products and conduct trials to test their drugs safety and effectiveness in patients with specific conditions. The FDA demands that drug companies conduct rigorous clinical trials to prove a drugs safety and effectiveness in treating a particular disease. However, once the FDA approves a drug for one use, doctors can prescribe it for whatever they want. The FDA is considering loosening the monitoring of off-label prescriptions, but if anything, regulations should be tightened. Despite the practices of some medical personnel, the risk of serious medical complications demands that the FDA regulate and restrict off-label use of prescription drugs.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that although the pharmaceutical industry says that prescription medicines are safe, prescribed drugs have a high risk of causing serious medical complications. the fda is considering loosening the monitoring of off-label prescriptions.
- Explains that off-label use refers to the use not included in the official label. the fda is moving towards trying to renounce control in spite of the strong rationale for increased involvement
- Explains that the food and drug administration, established in 1930, is an agency within the department of health and human services.
- Explains the fda's role in the development of a new drug begins when the drugs sponsor screens the new product for pharmacological activity and acute toxicity potential in animals.
- Opines that off-label prescribing is based on the information contained within the drug label as well as sound scientific evidence. the fda does not regulate the practice of medicine.
- Opines that the fda enforced the pediatric final rule in 1999 to ensure new drugs contain adequate pediatric labeling for the claimed indications at the time of approval.
- Opines that the food and drug association must enhance the regulation of prescribing off-label prescription drugs.
- Explains that avorn, jerry, dresser, rebecca, and gale opposing viewpoints in context.
- Explains that off-label prescription of drugs can lead to adverse effects.
- Explains that 1 of 7 prescriptions are 'off-label'. usa today 9 may 2006: 09d. gale opposing viewpoints in context.
2017 wordsRead More - Major Components Of The Fdaopinionated essayMajor components of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) statutory authority have evolved in response to drug-related public health crises and in response to a changing environment. The social and health care environment has changed and continues to evolve—health care providers and patients expect timely access to effective drugs, the user-fee program established in 1992 has increased the pace of drug review and approval, the practice of medicine and the use of drugs have changed, and the information available to the public from advertising and the Internet and from commercial and government or nonprofit sources has transformed consumer knowledge and the patient’s role in health care (see Chapter 1 for more information). In view of those
In this essay, the author
- Opines that fda's regulatory authority must be reconsidered and strengthened to ensure that it is equal to the task.
- Summarizes the history of drug regulation, describes the use of the agency's authority during the preapproval and postapprovation processes, identifies needed changes, and makes recommendations to strengthen or clarify ity.
235 wordsRead More