PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES ERODE MARKETING TRUST

Drug maker Merck and Shering Plough delayed reporting their clinical trials showing that their cholesterol drug Zetia, and a pill that contains it, Vytorin, did not benefit patients and may even put the patient at greater risk.

While drug safety is of primary importance I believe the greater harm of this recent scandal is that it questions the ethics of pharmaceutical marketing and erodes the public's trust for truth in all marketing.

Another Merck drug, Vioxx, was withdrawn in 2004 after it was shown to cause harm in patients after being heavily marketed.  Here is the ethical question (not legal) regarding pharmaceutical marketing:   Does it provide necessary information or does it manipulate physicians and consumers by creating demand and record profits in a rush to gain market share?

To regain credibility, pharmaceutical direct-to-consumer advertising will need to address trust and the seriousness of prescription medicine and stop treating their drug marketing like a fast-food or beverage brand.  What do you think pharmaceutical marketing needs to do to regain consumer trust?

I look 4Ward to your feedback. 

Keep digging for worms.