Summary: Deontological Approach To Ethics

Despite this, the industry did not alter its ways, maintaining that its ad campaigns were "educational," and that people were able to make their own decisions about what they purchased (Payer 66). However, it is evident that the advertisements produced by the pharmaceutical industry are designed for the very purpose of making it difficult for people to make these decisions independently. This marketing produces a large number of often deceptive, misleading tactics which have a large influence on both consumers and medical practitioners. The chief beneficiaries of this marketing are not the consumers but the pharmaceutical companies themselves.

There are proponents of DTC prescription drug ads. They argue that “the ads inform patients about diseases and possible treatments, encourage people to seek medical advice, help remove stigma associated with medical conditions, and provide needed sales revenue to fund costly research and development (R&D) of new drugs (Drug Ads ProCon.org).” On the flip side opponents argue “that DTC drug ads misinform patients, promote drugs before long-term safety-profiles can be known, medicalize and stigmatize normal conditions and bodily functions like wrinkles and low testosterone, waste valuable medical appointment time, and have led to our society’s overuse of prescription drugs (Drug Ads ProCon.org).”

Anyone who has stayed up late watching television, or has paged through a current magazine, has seen advertisements for medications. They often depict an individual, or couple, that is strolling along the beach, playing with their grandchildren, or enjoying a long forgotten hobby. Although the Food and Drug Administration has imposed stricter regulations on drug advertisements over the last several years, there remains an innate distraction and misleading by the drug companies in order to promote their product. “Evidence suggests that direct-to-consumer advertising of prescription drugs increases pharmaceutical sales and both helps to avert underuse of medicines and leads to potential overuse” (Donohue, Cevasco, & Rosenthal, 2007, p. 673). This paper will critique both a prescription and over-the-counter medication advertisement, discuss the pathophysiology and mechanism of action for the gastrointestinal disorder it treats, as well as compare and contrast the two advertisements.

The twenty-first century has seen pharmaceutical companies grow in unprecedented size and strength. Due to the unprecedented growth the larger pharmaceutical companies have gained leverage and power in the prescription drug industry, but they lack innovation to market and they seek ways to help the business continue to increase its profits. The pharmaceutical industry was once ethically sound and was a valuable player in the development of human health. However, overtime with the lack of innovation pharmaceutical companies are becoming an unethical market that exploits patients, doctors and anyone else it can to increase its profitability. With eyes only on profitability this can create a hazard for patients because there

Bill Maher once mocked the aggressive nature of the drug advertisements that direct you to tell your doctor that their drug is right for you. “Tell your doctor? Shouldn’t your doctor tell you what drugs you need. When you tell your doctor isn’t he just a dealer at that point,” said Bill Maher. The American public generally trusts their government to protect them from the hidden dangers prescription and over-the-counter drugs. However, that trust isn’t fully warranted as the FDA has been featured in the GAO report of “high risk” agencies which need drastic reforms. After all, the FDA is in charge of regulating the shameless drug advertisements that inundate the airwaves.

Direct-to-consumer advertising of prescription drugs has attracted several controversies, especially from people opposed to it. Some of the major arguments that have been raised include the possibility of the advertising to be a blatant manipulation of the public, the huge potential benefits to pharmaceutical companies and significant damages to the health care system. However, direct-to-consumer advertising of prescriptions drugs should be carried out properly because the advantages of this measure outweigh its disadvantages. One of the major reasons for the advertisement of

These ads are necessary so that the development of new, life-changing drugs are able to occur. At what cost, though? DTC prescription drug ads are being promoted before long-term safety information is known. Vioxx, a pain medication, was advertised and prescribed for five years before being withdrawn from the market for causing strokes and heart attacks; “Vioxx was listed as the primary suspected cause of death in 4,540 mortalities…” (paragraph 7).

In regards to the price of prescription drugs, supporters note that the advertising promotes competition among the drug companies, thus driving the drug prices down. Assuming that this is true, which is disputable in itself, “some opponents also suggest that DTCPA increases health care costs because visits to the physician prompted by a drug ad can be a waste of time and money”.(nih.gov) So if the prices are driven down then that would be of benefit to some and if they are, in fact, increased that would be of impact to all consumers. This ethical analysis does not require an answer as to which point of view is true.

     Is a patient at liberty to diagnose his or her own affliction? If so, are they also qualified enough to know the right medication and take into consideration the drugs adverse effects? With the recent onset of direct to consumer advertising for prescription drugs, this is becoming the case. In 1994, expenditures on direct to consumer advertisements were about twenty-five-million a year. By 1998 that figure changed to about 225 million (Sasich 2). Turn on the TV, there they are. Open your favorite magazine, there they are again. Listen to the radio, congratulations, you’ve found another ad for the latest prescription drug. Rush down to your local

This paper takes the stand that direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertising of pharmaceutical drugs is unethical. This stand is based on the belief that many developed countries in the world have banned such kind of advertising because they believe that it is unethical. I believe that the advertising of pharmaceutical drugs is unethical because it gives consumers hope that a specific drug can cure their disease. However, this might not be the case as only a qualified medical practitioner can prescribe the right medication to treat a particular disease or condition. This is a major issue given that many consumers might prefer to be treated with an advertized pharmaceutical drug, yet it might not be the best drug for their specific ailment. It is believed

When a child is diagnosed with ADHD, the primary treatment is by using drugs provided by Pharmaceutical Companies. ADHD has brought in a lot of business for these Pharmaceutical Companies. In 1990, drugs to treat ADHD brought in $1.7 Billion Dollars. In 2012, they brought in approximately $9 billion, 5 times more than in 1990 (Conrad & Bergev, 2014). Recent years have witnessed direct advertising from Pharmaceutical Companies to consumers of prescription medications, including antidepressants, antihypertensives, and more than the others, drugs to treat ADHD (Searight & McLaren, 1998). The advertisements include information that are beyond public education about available pharmacotherapy, which deceives consumers into thinking these Pharmaceutical Companies know as

Also prescription drug advertisements soften relationships between patients and healthcare provider’s. Edlin (2015) states that “About eighty of doctors researched in Apr. 2013 thought DTC prescription drug ads weakened doctor-patient connections.” Patients that watch television that show an advertised drug patients think that will solve their problems often ignore a doctor’s advice if the doctor uses a different solution. After being denied the requested for the drug, almost half of patients surveyed were not happy with their doctors, about a quarter responded that they would try to make the doctor prescribe the wanted medication or get the drug somewhere else, and said they would probably change to a different doctor. If a patient is not

I believe that the moral theory of Deontology, which is also called non-consequentialism, incorrectly answers the question “What is right?” The reason being that Deontology answers this question base on each individual experience and belief, which most likely will always be different from person to person. In my stance I will first explain the moral theory of Deontology, secondly I will point out how Deontology answers the question “What is right?”, and lastly analyze why the moral theory of Deontology will fail in answering the question of “What is right?”

Kidney failure, blindness, and stroke are the few of the many major complications individuals who are diagnosed with diabetes are at the risk for.  With more than nine million Canadians living with diabetes, the prevalence continues to rise, putting young children and adults at the risk of being diagnosed (Egan & Dinneen, 2014).  The lack of knowledge for healthy living, easily accessible fast food, obesity, and genetics can play a major role behind some of the causes for it.  Diabetes is a condition in which the glucose levels are elevated and the body does not produce enough insulin, which plays an important role in transporting glucose in the body cells (Egan & Dinneen, 2014). The other form of diabetes is when our kidney fails to conserve water resulting in excessive urination (Dinneen, 2010). The three subdivisions of diabetes are Type 1, Type 2 and Gestational diabetes (Dinneen, 2010). This particular paper will focus on the diabetes awareness advertisement and its impact on the intended audience.

Pharmaceutical companies should attempt to be as transparent as possible when marketing prescription drugs to the public. Their marketing efforts should not only convey the benefits of the prescription drug, but also easily convey the possible risks associated with the prescription drugs. Many patients may tend to think the benefits outweigh the potential risks of prescription drugs and may pressure their physician to prescribe it. Due to the way the prescription drug is marketed, the consumer may believe the