Selling Drugs!
There are elements of an American lifestyle that can be quite striking at times, including how organisations go about marketing their products. In order to maintain a vibrant, ongoing sales environment companies need to be sure that their product is kept in the eye of the consumer. There are however some such strategies that leave me puzzled and maybe even more than a little alarmed.
In particular I refer to the aggressive marketing of various drugs that are clearly only available on the presentation of a medical doctor’s prescription. In the space of a fairly short space of time on a standard TV program I have seen adverts for a range of drugs: BREO for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Symbicort for asthma and other pulmonary conditions, Humira for rhuematoid arthritis, ACZONE for acne, Eliquis for arterial fib, even BOTOX for migraine headaches.
Each advert is divided into two parts. The first part advises the viewer of a set of conditions where this drug might be helpful – typically fairly briefly. The second part is a condensation of the fine print that often comes in the actual drug when purchased over the counter – a detailed warning of all the possible adverse side effects. Why anyone would want to take the drug after hearing all the bad things that might happen to the user is a puzzle in itself.
The advert narrator does advise the viewer to consult with their medical practitioner, and yes, I can confirm that having talked to one of the local family practice doctors that there are indeed patients who arrive for a consultation asking for a particular drug that they have seen advertised on the TV.
The power of effective marketing.
– Dr Keith Howson