...don't even ignore 'em.
-- Samuel Goldwyn

Sunday, March 19, 2006

The decline of drug advertising.

Yes, that's a little hype for effect. But the pharma's have blinked, and it ain't from pinkeye. It's all of us waving sticks, not carrots, that's toning down prescription drug marketing. We're starting to see the effects of threats of new regulation and general native-restlessness in, for instance, the adoption of a new pharma industry code of conduct for drug ads.

Read about the changes in stories like this one, from AP, via the Pueblo Chieftain (just so you know how the word's getting around in the press), about the poor soul who has to come up with a new non-sexy Viagra commercial. A quote:

[Drug] Companies are shifting money away from television ads into other avenues such as public relations and the Internet because it is difficult to present a balanced portrait of a drug in a 30-second or 60-second spot, Giegerich [the poor soul] said.
What a concept.

2 comments:

DAVE NEWTON said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
DAVE NEWTON said...

I deleted my comment because I typoed. Let's try this again.

Thanks, Daniel. Keep evangelizing. Though the pharmas have done, and will do, a lot of good, their addiction to mass advertising is poisoning healthcare and distorting the practice of medicine. Doctors and patients: just say no. Do your jobs. Get informed and use your skills.