Those who don’t like the fact that I insist on seeing some actual data or research on sensationalist and bullshit claims about vax safety often claim I am a shill for the drug companies. Anyone who read this blog for the last ten years would know that the opposite was true–I constantly berate drug manufacturers for their marketing and pricing behavior. This study found that for the 150 drugs with the highest sales in the US, more was spent on direct-to-consumer advertising for drugs that had minimal clinical benefit than on those with clearer benefits for patients. Meaning that the drug companies will take a crappy product and spend a ton of money trying to persuade you to get your doctor to prescribe it for you. So if you see an add for a drug on TV, you can probably assume it isn’t going to do you much good. And all that money spend on advertising is why drugs cost so much. Drug advertising should be banned. Drug companies should be required to put up a website for each drug that providers and patients can see and that has neutral information about the research regarding the effectiveness and safety of the drug, and that is all they should be allowed to do as marketing. Cut the cost of drugs immensely. (JAMA Article)
Drug Advertising
About this Blog
The Healthy Skeptic is a website about the health care system, and is written by Kevin Roche, who has many years of experience working in the health industry. Mr. Roche is available to assist health care companies through consulting arrangements through Roche Consulting, LLC and may be reached at khroche@healthy-skeptic.com.
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The amount / percentage of marketing / Advertising $ are spend on products are directly correlated to profit margins for the product. That has been traditionally true of all products.
An excellent example is the $ spent on auto leasing vs bank financing. Considerably more money is made by the auto companies and financing companies via leasing than via bank financing, thus the high level of auto leasing advertising vs near zero advertising for bank financing.
Another example is the amount of $ spent for covid vaccines, especially the boosters. Tremendous level of profits made by the drug companies on the covid vaxes.
Without a price signal to the consumer (bill the insurance!), cost control is a lost cause.
Perhaps drugs that work, need less marketing.
Case in point: statins.