Overview

The pharmaceutical industry is responsible for partially removing many of the leading causes of death among humans, such as tuberculosis, gastroenteritis, and diphtheria. However, whereas the ultimate goal of medicine is to cure, the ultimate motivation of pharmaceuticals is to make money. In order to make money, drug companies must create a market for their products by engaging in several different types of promotional strategies that inform both patients and doctors of the accessibility and effectiveness of their medications. The profit-driven nature of the pharmaceutical industry may result in advertising and marketing strategies that serve as detriments to the patient's best interest and safety. For example, pharmaceutical companies may gloss over possible health risks associated with a new drug, create a "need" among the masses for medication where one does not already exist, or place a financial burden on economy due to high cost of marketing. The purpose of these pages is to inform the reader regarding prescription drug advertising and marketing strategies, as well as the problems these strategies pose for patients. Included are suggestions for ways in which the problems associated with drug marketing can be solved.