Metabical

“ In its purest form, demography focuses on the three forces that influence population size: fertility, mortality, and migration” (pg 35). Demography can help project the future effects of obesity because it relates greatly to the mortality aspect of demography because it is a risk factor for several diseases. The chapter discusses many aspects of obesity including measurement, overall trends, age, gender, race, and geographic location Body mass index which is weight divided by height is the most common way obesity is measured because of how easy it is to calculate and is used to determine if someone is classified as obese. However, BMI is not considered the most accurate measurement of obesity. A BMI of 30 is considered obese and the percentage of American adults that fall under this category has been increasing since the 70’s. People are generally more overweight then the past and the heaviest have gained the most. Rates of obesity have also been increasing in children as well. BMI increases with age and children who are obese are very likely to stay that way as

In 2008, a marketing and positioning strategy was needed for Cambridge Sciences Pharmaceutical’s (CSP) new weight loss drug called Metabical. Metabical was touted as being a revolutionary weight loss drug with fewer negative side effects than the usual medicinal weight loss remedies.

2. On the course website is an Excel file that contains demand and forecast data for a

* Our company’s sales forecast has been based on performance from previous years along with market circumstances. We are looking at the future of the business objectively which we then can evaluate past to

Metabical is the first prescription drug approved specifically for overweight individuals  (BMI between 25 and 30), those individuals who have weight-loss goals of approximately 10 to 30 pounds; other prescription weight-loss drugs were approved for  use in both obese (BMI >30) and severely obese (BMI>40) individuals.  Metabical is a dual-layer formulation: the first layer contained an appetite suppressant and

We need to look at the different groups, such as the elderly, obese, and smokers in the United States.

Adult overweight and obesity have become a worldwide issue that has very dangerous consequences on health. World Health Organization defines obesity as the “epidemic of the 21st Century”. WHO reports show that 1.9 billion people with 18 years age and older are overweight, and 600 million of them are obese. In the United States, obesity is a serious problem today that results from overconsumption of high-fat food and sugary food with lack of exercise. The Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention reports show that the obesity rates are above 20 percent in all states. Overweight and obesity have become a major public health issue because of their high rates of mortality and morbidity. People who are considered overweight or obese are at increased

Obesity has become increasingly more prominent in American society. The Unites States has even been termed an overweight nation. Some twenty to thirty percent of American adults are now considered obese (Hwang 1999 and Hirsch et al 1997). With this in mind, Americans constantly look around themselves determining their weight status as well as that of those around them. While some Americans do fit the healthy category, others enter the underweight, overweight, and even obese categories, all of which can be unhealthy.

Since Metabical is a prescription drug for weight loss which can only be bought via a prescription, the overweight patients are not the only decision makers involved. The health care providers are also decision makers in this process for they are the ones who prescribe the drug.

According to Alyssa Brown, “51% of adults want to lose weight, [but] barely half as many (25%) say they are seriously working towards that goal. This discrepancy between Americans’ weight-loss desires and behaviors has existed for years”(Brown). According to society, the definition of a healthy person is someone who exercises often and eats healthy foods. Even though people want to be healthy, becoming healthy is a hard task. Surely it is much easier to lay around at home and eat chips than to work out at the gym. Maybe this is why obesity rates are on the rise. A medical study estimates that “75% of the U.S. population will be classified as overweight or obese or obese by the year 2020” (NewsMax). People wonder, what is the solution to this

Source: CDC, National Center for Health Statistics, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Health, United States, 2002. Flegal et. al. JAMA. 2002;288:1723-7. NIH, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, Clinical Guidelines on the Identification, Evaluation and Treatment of Overweight and Obesity in Adults, 1998.

Sales for the year will be consistent with the previous year (only a small decrease)

Pricing must be decided for Metabical that captures the accurately forecasted demand of the target market. Because of heavy competition such as Alli , it is important to create a package that can be priced accurately to drive up sales and consistency of a 12 week drug.

In this report, Printup will provide all recommendations for the successfull marketing communication strategy and to ensure the long-term steady demand for Metabical. 3.1 IDENTIFICATION OF THE PROBLEM OVERVIEW OF OVERWEIGHT ISSUES IN THE UNITED STATE Excess weight is considered a public health crisis in the U.S, with approximately 65% of the entire adult population categorized as overweight, obese, or severely obese. Being overweight is related to a number of serious health complications, and according to the American Obesity Association in 2005, ³the second leading cause of preventable death in U.S. In addition to health risks, overweight individuals endure a significant social stigma as well as outright discrimination. Laziness and self indulgence are common stereotypes associated with this group. Many overweight people feel like social outcasts. The professional life of an overweight individual could also be negatively affected, as excess weight has been found to adversely influence, hiring decisions, wages, and promotions. Researchers and health care professionals measure excess weight using the Body Mass Index (BMI) scale. The BMI scale, which calculates the relationship between weight and height associated with body fat and health risk, is appropriate for both men and women. It has three BMI categories of excess weight for adults:overweight (25 to 30); obese (30 to 40); and severely, or morbidly obese (over 40). According to CDC

a. Assuming the most current operational cost levels, what sales must it generate to recoup the above investment?