Effects Of Direct To Consumer Advertisements To Patient's Attitudes (Essay Sample)

Name Professor Course Date Big Pharma and Ethics Introduction The United States and New Zealand are the only developed countries that allow big pharmaceutical companies to advertise prescription only drugs directly to consumers. Direct to consumer advertising of pharmaceutical drugs is highly regulated across the globe, while marketing of non prescription drugs over the counter is relatively widespread. The impact of direct to consumer advertising together with physician promotion needs to be reviewed in furtherance to the trust the consumers endorse the content of these advertising languages. Given that most of these direct to consumer advertisements are centered on lifestyle problems such as insomnia, eyelashes, erectile dysfunction, and toenail fungus that could be bearing life threatening consequences. Therefore, most critics of these direct to consumer advertisements concur that the increasing consumption of these pharmaceutical products that people do not actually need, contribute to the propagation the public to be materialistic, brainwashed, behavior manipulation, brain washing, and downfall of the social system, and therefore considered unethical (Greene 800). Moral Argument Direct to consumer advertisement of prescription drugs by big pharmaceutical companies definitely impacts patients’ attitudes, as well as patient-provider communications, and the ultimate medical use. The ethical consideration involved in pharmaceutical sales is based on the organizational ethics, which is in fact depends on compliance, culture, and accountability. It is imperative that organizational ethics are applied in the development of the marketing and sales strategies for public and healthcare profession, which should be demonstrated by acts of compassion, fairness, honor, integrity, and responsibility (Lee 365). However, big pharma storehouses have been crippled and fostered with consumer mistrust, as well as negative perceptions of the pharmaceutical industry. Many studies reveal that the language in these directs to consumer prescription drug advertisements have potentially misleading claims, of which from a clinical perspective is highly worrying. Therefore, the outright falsehood found in these advertisements concerning the possibility of advertising norms that should define the taxonomy of the advertisement truthfulness (Abel et al 218). It is imperative to acknowledge that a larger part of the selective facts in these advertisements associated with lifestyle matters are completely legal, however the subjective misleading language requires rigorous analysis. It I also worth noting that, pharmaceutical companies are to a greater extent responsible for saving and improving the health and wellbeing of a huge number of people, which should be the content of the advertisements. Notwithstanding the benefits of these big pharma, there is undeniable track record of general scandals and unethical behavior in the profit oriented organizations. Further to this, big pharma are operating in highly vicious competitive business environments, and hence as a means of survival they take incentives in cutting corners in unscrupulous ways by getting involved in marketing malpractices (Humphreys 576). From the foregoing, it appears the big pharmaceutical players encounter more complicated business and ethical decisions, especially when they run their marketing campaigns. Therefore, the ethical dilemmas facing these pharmaceutical multinationals comes to really difficult decision making with respect to aligning the overall profit goals and doing business with products that should save people’s lives. Other ethical controversies facing direct to consumer advertisement of prescription drugs include the campaigns that drives up the prices of actual drugs, the negative effects of direct to consumer advertisement, and the huge financial resources spent on these advertisements. Therefore, direct to consumer advertisements of prescriptions is unethical considering that these big pharma cannot ascertain the authenticity of their claims found in the advertisement languages (Abel et al 220). Alternative The alternative to the ethical dilemmas facing big pharma with respect to the ethical and business challenges requires critical analysis of contemporary healthcare practices and issues. Applying ethical theory perspective of the healthcare policies and practices is required to confront unethical behavior in the pharmaceutical industry. Direct to consumer advertising of prescription drugs elucidates ethical issues that carry economic, social, and geographic ramifications. Therefore, ethical theories weaved with the pursuit of equal and just healthcare services for all people. It is imperative that contemporary healthcare administration is riddled with political and injustice influences that permeate the entire healthcare system (Lee 367). John Rawls pointed two distinct principles of justice that provides alternatives through the ethical dilemma in finding people to live cooperative lives. The Rawls’ Theory of Justice elucidates the principle of equal liberties, which includes freedom of thought, political liberties, liberty of conscience, plus all rights covered under the rule of law (Lee 369). Therefore, social liberties are necessity by availability of equal basic liberties. The next principle illuminated by the Rawls. Theory of justice stipulates that inequalities are acceptable only when the outcomes are of greatest advantage to the less fortunate, otherwise known as the difference principle. Therefore, understanding the moral argument is of the essence in matters concerning fairness and justice in society (Lee 369). Building on the Rawls’ theory of justice, from an economic perspective the medical institutions should provide fair equality of opportunity. The calculated production function system with inputs and ot...