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Essays on the advantages of direct to consumer advertising
Essays on the advantages of direct to consumer advertising
An essay on the effect of media on health
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Over 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 the United States over the last twenty years, the media has also started increasing advertising in this manner to both consumers and doctors. The media targets sources like magazines, internet, TV and social networks to gain the consumers attention (Gerald 7). This type of advertising campaign creates awareness about a drugs and maximizes profits but is also used to education consumers and an information source for medical experts (Gerald 7).
In 1938 a law passed called the Cosmetic and Food Act, then the pharmaceutical advertising boom came along (Relman p28). In 1962 this act was challenged and required proof of drug safety before it could be advertised. The physician to patient method was what was used the most in marketing pharmaceuticals in t...
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...he doctors lack any solid evidence to support the claim of the company having a negative influence. Because of these mixed beliefs, advertisers encourage consumers to ask more questions on any drug prescribed to them and see if it lines up with the advertisement (Findlay p39).
There is plenty of evidence showing that OTC medication has intensified because of advertising. This growth can be seen with many different views from an ethics standpoint. However, these advertisements allow the consumer to exercise their right of views, regardless of doctor recommendations. In theory, the doctor would respect the patient’s opinion and decisions. These advertising campaigns are important in consumer education even if the doctors see it as unethical, but at the end of the day, there needs to be more research in regards to the effectiveness or negativity of DTCA advertisements.
In Melody Peterson’s “Our Daily Meds” , the history of marketing and advertising in the pharmaceutical industry is explored. The first chapter of the book, entitled “Creating disease”, focuses on how major pharmaceutical companies successfully create new ailments that members of the public believe exist. According to Peterson, the success that these drug manufacturers have experienced can be attributed to the malleability of disease, the use of influencial people to promote new drugs, the marketing behind pills, and the use of media outlets.
The FDA was given the authority to approve pharmaceutical products for marketing in the U.S. as a result of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, passed in 1938 (FDA par 2). In 1960’s, the agency issued final regulations for prescription drug advertising, which stipulated that these ads must not be false or misleading, present a “fair balance” of information describing both the risks and benefits of a drug, include facts that are “material” to the product’s advertised uses, and include a “brief summary” that mentions every risk described in the product’s ...
In order to take advantage of this demand, five billion dollars is spent by the pharmaceutical industry on marketing each year. This marketing, usually in the form of advertisements, often distorts facts and makes the necessity for drug treatment seem greater.... ... middle of paper ... ... Washington, D.C.:
DTC advertisements aim to persuade that their possibly less effective drugs work better than other drugs rather than to inform consumers of correct information about drugs. The reason that pharmaceutical companies abuse the power of DTC advertising is because the pharmaceutical industry does not have a strong ethical code for advertising; their sales are so obsessed with profits. To solve this problem, policy makers should prohibit indiscreet DTC advertisements on air and fund more informative services about new drugs so that patients could make clever
Direct-to-consumer prescription drug ads are dangerous and can have serious effects on the health of the general public. In the article “Pros & Cons Arguments: ‘Should prescription drugs be advertised directly to consumers?’”, the pros and cons of the advertising of prescription drugs are compared. The negative aspects of these ads outweigh that of the positives. DTC prescription drug ads misinform patients, promote over-usage, and pressure medical providers. The counter side argues that these ads inform patients, create a positive impact on patient compliance with medication, and cause patients to confront their doctors.
In Melody Peterson’s “Our Daily Meds” , the history of marketing and advertising in the pharmaceutical industry is explored. The first chapter of the book, entitled “Creating disease”, focuses on how major pharmaceutical companies successfully create new ailments that members of the public believe exist. According to Peterson, the success that these drug manufacturers have experienced can be attributed to the malleability of disease, the use of influencial people to promote new drugs and the efficient usage of media outlets.
Why do consumers purchase specific drugs for various ailments, sicknesses or diseases they might have? Why do physicians prescribe certain drugs over competitive drugs that may be available to the public? Why is it that most of us can easily name specific drugs that fit the many ailments of today’s society? On the surface the answer might be as simple as good TV advertising or radio commercials or even internet adds. The truth of matter is the major pharmaceutical manufacturers own the patents on these drugs and this gives them all of the marketing budget and muscle they need to promote the drug and control the pricing. The incentives for larger pharmaceutical companies are very enticing and as a result, they don’t mind spending the time in clinical trials and patent courts to get their drugs approved. Some will even get patents on the process by which the drug is manufactured, ensuring that no competitor can steal the drug or the process. This protects their large financial investment and nearly guarantees a large return for their investors. Many consumer rights groups claim this is nothing more than legalizing monopolies for the biggest manufacturers.
Office, U. A. (2002). Prescription drugs: FDA oversight of direct-to-consumeradvertising has limitations (GAO-3-177). Washington, D.C.
Living in a world where many prefer to believe what is shown to them, rather than doing some of their own research, can lead to consequences. (Figure 1) Some people believe electronic cigarettes are a safer and healthier alternative to the actual cigarette because of how they are advertised. “Because they [e-cigs] deliver nicotine without burning tobacco, e-cigarettes are purported to be safer and less toxic than conventional cigarettes. Despite these claims, there’s still no real data on the effects of e-cigarettes (positive or negative), yet marketing materials still bill them as a healthy choice” (Worthington emphasis mine). Drug advertisements normally show the beneficial side of
Sharma, K. (2013). Health industry communication: New media, new methods, new message. Anvesha, 6(2), 55-56. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1460232741?accountid=458
According to Dr. Robert Zebroski, a professor at the St. Louis College of Pharmacy, King James I established Western society’s first independent pharmacist guild in England during the early 17th century. Pharmacies were known as “apothecaries” back then and they would prepare and dispense medication or remedies and offer medical advice to their patrons (Zebroski). Soon English colonists knew these apothecaries as pharmacist when they traveled to the New World approximately 150 years ago. Zebroski also noted, that Edward Parrish began the American Pharmaceutical Association and “proposed that members of the national professional organization consider all the varied pharmaceutical practitioners ‘pharmacists’ (Zebroski).” The federal government changed the role of pharmacy in 1951 with the passage of the Durham-Humphrey Amendment to the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act of 1938. Basically, what this entailed was that pharmacists needed a physician’s prescription to dispense medication versus simply dispensing all drugs. Pharmacists were restricted to reco...
Given Facebook’s inconsistency in monitoring and removing content, there is the potential for misleading or false information on marijuana to be made available, which could have dangerous implications, especially for users that are under 21 years old.
Introduction In order to generate sales, marketers often promote aggressively and uniquely, unfortunately, not all marketing advertisements are done ethically. Companies around the globe spend billions of dollars to promote new products and services and advertising is one of the key tools to communicate with consumers. Conversely, some methods that marketers use to produce advertisements and to generate sales is deceptive and unethical. Ethical issues concern in marketing has always been noted in marketing practice.
Advertising for Pharmaceutical products in the United Kingdom and the United States triggered frequent examination included integrated marketing communication, How they affect the audience, Social Responsibilities influence by the Advertising Standard Authority, UK, Impact of the advertisement towards the cultural in Malaysia, Globalization and Ethical Issues.
Businesses are in game in order to earn money and advertising is the strongest weapon that helps to sell a particular product . An advertisement can be harmful and misleading as well as helpful and beneficial . Advertising in ethics is an unclear concept , but truly the main goals of corporations should be avoid misleading their customers by setting up wrong expectations and to keep their current clients .The major problem with advertising is that most of them are misleading . Advertisements create an unrealistic and sometimes irrelevant impression of an any particular product. Unfortunately, often , consumers become the victims of their tricks .