Bristol-Myers Squibb

MRKT 339 Fall 2016

Kouagne Koffi

BRISTOL-MYERS SQUIBB

Answer the following questions.

1. This case provides background on DTC marketing for prescription drugs and also suggests that the use of this type of marketing is somewhat controversial.  What ethical issues can you identify that might be of concern to patients, healthcare professionals, and pharmaceutical companies with regard to DTC marketing?  Be specific.

When doing researches, I was surprised to know that only three countries have adopted DTC marketing: New Zealand in 1985, the US in 1997 and Brazil in 2008. My amazement comes from the fact that in my country, we have that kind of advertising too. Some people claim to work from pharmaceutical companies and come door to door to promote medications. The difference between them and what I just read is that they sometimes sell medications that we cannot longer use. And if you don’t have enough money especially when health care is very expensive in my country, you can fall in the trap and buy medications from them. This example can be an ethical issue because I’m pretty sure that this does not only apply to my countries and people are using the FDA for their DTC marketing and take money from people. Also, it can have an impact on patients in the sense that these drugs can make them even sicker. It can also decrease trust in healthcare professionals and pharmaceutical companies because in some cases, they are the ones giving those medications to people to sell them which is another ethical issue. Indeed, doctors and pharmacists can be money thirsty in the extent to which they forgot about their medical values. Therefore, it is very important to make sure that everyone is reliable because the medical word contains so much information that people can use for their own interest.

1. What are some of the positive and/or negative consequences of the use of DTC marketing by pharmaceutical companies?  Who is impacted by these consequences?

Some arguments in favor of DTC marketing include:

• Informs, educates, and empowers patients: DTC marketing educates patients and allows them to take charge of their health. In the U.S., it is thought that informing consumers will benefit the drive for health care reform. Also, consumers can benefit from having access to multiple information sources about drugs and other treatment options rather than relying solely on health care providers.
• Strengthens a patient’s relationship with a clinician: participation of an informed patient in clinical decision-making benefits the patient–clinician relationship. Also, outdoor and coupons advertising of pharmaceutical drugs can encourage patients to seek the advice of their doctor, whom they described as their most preferred and trusted source of information.
• Encourages product competition and lower prices. DTC is often assumed to be a major driver of rising pharmaceutical costs; however, economic theory and evidence suggest that pharmaceutical prices are instead largely influenced by consumer, physician, and payer perceptions of product value rather than advertising costs. Consumer drug ads may spur manufacturer price increases because of demand, but the evidence for this is mixed.

However, DTC have some negatives consequences:

• Misinforms patients. Although DTC advertising may educate patients, it also has the ability to misinform them. A common complaint is that DTC omits important information maybe because sometimes the representative does not know how to do his job properly. DTC also tends to suggest that health improvement comes from a medication, perhaps in combination with healthy activities, but never from behavior modification alone.
• Leads to inappropriate prescribing. If a patient’s request for an advertised drug is clinically inappropriate and the health care provider is unable or unwilling to correct the patient’s perception that it is a good choice, this situation may lead to unnecessary or harmful prescribing.

The healthcare professionals. The patients and the pharmaceutical companies are the ones impacted by those consequences.

1. In your opinion, should DTC by pharmaceutical companies be permitted in the United States?  Why or why not?  

.  Drug companies have been very successful in the past two decades with advertising their expensive, brand name drugs directly to consumers. There are many proponents and many critics on the issue. DTC advertising is a new form of selling that’s impact is not yet fully understood. However, one thing is apparent: given that these are advertisements that deal with a patient’s healthcare, there are many positive and negative ethical implications to consider for medical professionals, most importantly pharmacist since they must achieve a delicate balance between each ethical implication and maintain the covenantal relationship between themselves and the patient. Despite the negative consequences, I Think DTC by pharmaceutical companies should be permitted in the US. Not only it increases revenues but it allows patients to have a real knowledge of their medications. We just have to make sure that the outdoor representatives are well informed and tell the truth to people.