A profitable new definition of health

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this article is to question pharmaceutical companies in their efforts to define the problems for which they are providing solutions. It addresses the impact of DTC advertising in making drug companies one of the most profitable industries in the country and how these profits can influence marketing decisions that leave consumers vulnerable.Design/methodology/approachThis article identifies some possible conflicts of interests in the pharmaceutical industry.FindingsMarketing practices of the drug companies are shaping consumers' definitions of health through the expansion of medical definitions and potential markets followed by the mass advertising of these messages. Other conflicts of interests between academic medicine and the pharmaceutical industry also exist with for‐profit sponsorship of medical research compromising the impartiality of the researchers.Practical implicationsWhen discussing public policy issues related to DTC advertising, it is important to look beyond the characteristics of the messages themselves and understand the foundations on which they are built before determining the benefits or harm that result.Originality/valueQuestioning the intentions of the drug companies and the other players in pharmaceutical marketing is the only way to ensure that consumer interests are protected.