Abstract
Most regulatory agencies, says Mintzes, fail to treat regulation of drug promotion as a public health concern. Unless this changes, she says, the public can expect more unfettered disease mongering.
Highlights
Ray Moynihan and colleagues describe disease mongering as, “widening the boundaries of treatable illness in order to expand markets for those who sell and deliver treatments” [1]
Full direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) of prescription drugs is legal in only the United States and New Zealand
28 product-specific marketing plans for prescription drugs, from ten companies, obtained through subpoenas from 1999 to 2002; 3.5% of their budgets were devoted to DTCA [4]
Summary
Ray Moynihan and colleagues describe disease mongering as, “widening the boundaries of treatable illness in order to expand markets for those who sell and deliver treatments” [1]. I examine one aspect of disease mongering: activities financed by drug companies to promote sales by expanding the pool of patients potentially treated by their products, when no benefit in terms of reduced morbidity is likely. New diseases may be “created” or existing conditions redefined In theory, these activities are covered by national laws governing drug promotion that forbid misleading or deceptive advertising. The United Kingdom Medicines Health-Care Products Regulatory Agency has issued guidelines stating that the primary purpose of disease-awareness advertising must be health education on a disease and its management, not product promotion. ‘t Jong and colleagues subsequently analyzed the effects of the campaign on primary care, using administrative data covering 150 practices They studied the changes in rates of prescriptions of oral terbinafine (Lamisil) and itraconazole (Sporanox, a competitor to Lamisil), and the onychomycosis consultation rate, before and after the start of the campaign. An unbranded campaign had a brand-specific effect on sales, most likely because of concurrent branded promotion to physicians. ‘t Jong et al noted the effects of promotion of a condition that is largely cosmetic (it usually causes no pain or suffering) on physicians’ workload
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