Tuesday, March 25, 2014

The Unholy Alliance between the Pharmaceutical Industry and the Medical Community

Have you ever felt bombarded or fed up by the overwhelming spate of pharmaceutical ads?  After the second or third commercial within a 30-60 minute time frame, these marketing ploys resemble the antics of the untold snake oil salesmen peddling "cure-all" elixirs and patent medicines from the past.  The U.S. government from the DEA to the FDA, Congress, etc. spends a great deal of revenue and time focusing on the illicit drug trade.  Equally, both the medical and mental health communities concentrate the majority of their efforts on illegal drug use, misuse, and abuse.  Why not concede that a highly profitable, albeit, unholy alliance has developed between academia, the medical and mental health professions, the FDA, and Big Pharma?  In other words, utilize available resources to initiate and advance internal systemic reforms.  Perhaps, I am being far too naïve when so much money and power is at stake.  Nonetheless, Dr. Fung and others are speaking up and expressing both their concerns and outrage.  Will they be censured by their peers and lose their credibility or will others also bravely step out as advocates for the people?  Time will tell.  Attached below is a YouTube video of one of Dr. Fung's revealing lectures.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mlHGJoYpBqM

 
References
 
Fung, J. (March 1, 2013). How we have been lied to by Big Pharma. Retrieved from            http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mlHGJoYpBqM
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    
Posted by at

2 comments:

  1. COH318-Drug Use and AbuseMarch 25, 2014 at 9:14 PM

    Hi Lori,

    Excellent post - and I couldn't agree more. I personally believe that the overwhelming amount of advertising for all kinds of drugs is driving up drug use in general, and where there is more use there is more potential for abuse. Perhaps the US should take a hint a follow the example of the rest of the Western nations and ban the wholesale advertising of prescription medications. It would highly likely drive down the cost of healthcare substantially!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. UnknownMarch 25, 2014 at 11:42 PM

      Thank you. I could not agree more. While, I am a proponent of a free market system, I also feel that marketing should consider the potential harm factor. Do no harm should and must usurp profit margins and the quintessential bottom line. Thus, banning pharmaceutical ads not only diminishes the misplaced priority of sales versus patient safety and welfare, it makes good common sense.

      Delete

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)