Impact of Manipulative Character of Direct-to-Consumer Promotion

Abstract

Marketing of pharmaceutical products has remained under firm hold of ethical and legal norms. Direct advertising or any other form of direct promotion has been illegal in any or every country. Arrival of information technology, however, has ensured patients now have direct access to every possible detail of their ailments and their treatment through direct-to-consumer promotion (DTCP). Certain studies have shown that physicians consider DTCP to have manipulative character and are designed by pharmaceutical companies with ulterior motives. The aim is to explore relationship between manipulative character on self-medication propensity, negative perception, and poor patient-physician relationship as per the perception of physicians. With data from 218 physicians, insights into perceived manipulative character, self-medication propensity, negative perception, and poor patient-physician relationship have been achieved. The finding has important implications for regulatory bodies, pharmaceutical companies, and healthcare sector stakeholders.