$60 billion a year spent by pharmaceutical companies on drug promotion

[Guest guest]

SSRI-Research@

Sun, 02 Jul 2006 03:51:03 -0000

[sSRI-Research] $60 billion a year spent by pharmaceutical

companies on drug promotion

 

 

 

 

 

Second paragraph reads: " Consumers International said there was

a " shocking " lack of publicly available information about the $60

billion a year spent by pharmaceutical companies on drug promotion. "

 

Consumer group slams hidden promotion of drugs

 

http://news./s/nm/pharmaceuticals_promotion_dc

 

LONDON (Reuters) - A leading consumer group called on Monday for

governments

to crack down on unscrupulous marketing practices by drugmakers,

which it

said were leaving patients misinformed about the benefits of

medicines.

 

Consumers International said there was a " shocking " lack of publicly

available information about the $60 billion a year spent by

pharmaceutical

companies on drug promotion.

 

" The pharmaceutical industry spends nearly twice as much on marketing

as it

does on research and development, yet consumers know next to nothing

about

where this money is going, " Richard Lloyd, Director General of

Consumers

International, said.

 

" Marketing regulation must be revised to demand more transparency

from drug

companies, " he added in a statement at the launch of a new report

criticizing industry practices.

 

In most markets outside the United States, direct-to-consumer

advertising of

prescription medicines is banned.

 

But Lloyd said firms were increasingly finding inconspicuous ways to

influence consumer opinion, such sponsoring patient pressure groups,

funding

disease awareness campaigns and offering hospitality to medical

experts.

 

Many drug companies argue it is important to communicate with

consumers

about products and say their marketing activities are strictly

controlled by

government-appointed regulators, as well as having to comply with the

industry's own guidelines.

 

 

[Guest guest]

What other company in the world can afford to spend $60 Billion dollars a

year on promoting its product? Usually when you have a great product, it

sells itself!

 

1,000 million = 1 billion

 

$60,000,000,000 To promote deadly medicine!

 

Donna

 

 

On 7/2/06, califpacific <califpacific wrote:

>

> SSRI-Research@

> Sun, 02 Jul 2006 03:51:03 -0000

> [sSRI-Research] $60 billion a year spent by pharmaceutical

> companies on drug promotion

>

> Second paragraph reads: " Consumers International said there was

> a " shocking " lack of publicly available information about the $60

> billion a year spent by pharmaceutical companies on drug promotion. "

>

> Consumer group slams hidden promotion of drugs

>

> http://news./s/nm/pharmaceuticals_promotion_dc

>

> LONDON (Reuters) - A leading consumer group called on Monday for

> governments

> to crack down on unscrupulous marketing practices by drugmakers,

> which it

> said were leaving patients misinformed about the benefits of

> medicines.

>

> Consumers International said there was a " shocking " lack of publicly

> available information about the $60 billion a year spent by

> pharmaceutical

> companies on drug promotion.

>

> " The pharmaceutical industry spends nearly twice as much on marketing

> as it

> does on research and development, yet consumers know next to nothing

> about

> where this money is going, " Richard Lloyd, Director General of

> Consumers

> International, said.

>

> " Marketing regulation must be revised to demand more transparency

> from drug

> companies, " he added in a statement at the launch of a new report

> criticizing industry practices.

>

> In most markets outside the United States, direct-to-consumer

> advertising of

> prescription medicines is banned.

>

> But Lloyd said firms were increasingly finding inconspicuous ways to

> influence consumer opinion, such sponsoring patient pressure groups,

> funding

> disease awareness campaigns and offering hospitality to medical

> experts.

>

> Many drug companies argue it is important to communicate with

> consumers

> about products and say their marketing activities are strictly

> controlled by

> government-appointed regulators, as well as having to comply with the

> industry's own guidelines.

>

>