The major source of information about drugs is the pharmaceutical industry, and much of that information takes the form of promotion, Controlling excessive and misleading promotion of drugs is therefore a key measure in improving their rational use, Clinical pharmacologist_ Andrew Herxheimeris the coordinator of the International Society of Drug Bulletins which links nearly 50 bulletins worldwide that provide independent and comparative information on drugs. Describes drug promotion as “the truth, the half-truth and north like the truth.”
‘The industry spends about twice as much on promoting its product as it docs on research. Canadian physician Joel Lexchin says that, if developing countries at least, promotion expenditure amounts somewhere between 20% and 30% of sales. (Pharmaceutical Promotion in the Third World).
According to Scrip’s annual review of the year (1993), one Company — SmithKline Beecham had the largest number of products under research and development. It spent 16% of its annual sales, turnover (£ 2,889 million or $ 4,333 million) on research, but 21%, on marketing. On March 2, 1993, Scrip reported that the company’s, spending on marketing bas risen faster thin its spending on research.
Article extracted from this publication >> September 9, 1994
