Pharmaceutical marketing

Pharmaceutical marketing, also known as medico-marketing or pharma marketing, is the business of advertising or otherwise promoting the sale of pharmaceutical drugs. Many countries have measures in place to limit advertising by pharmaceutical companies.

History

Pharmaceutical marketing has a long history. The first drug to be marketed was arsphenamine, an arsenic compound, in the early 20th century by Paul Ehrlich. This was followed by the marketing of sulfonamide and penicillin in the 1930s and 1940s.

Techniques

Pharmaceutical companies use a range of marketing techniques to increase their sales, including advertising, public relations, and sponsoring medical education.

Advertising

Pharmaceutical companies spend billions of dollars each year on advertising. This includes direct-to-consumer advertising, which is legal in the United States and New Zealand, but not in most other countries.

Public relations

Pharmaceutical companies also use public relations to improve their reputation and increase their sales. This can include sponsoring research, donating to charities, and lobbying government officials.

Medical education

Pharmaceutical companies often sponsor medical education, including continuing medical education for doctors. This can include funding research, providing free samples, and sponsoring conferences and seminars.

Criticism

Pharmaceutical marketing has been criticized for its role in promoting the overuse of expensive drugs and for its role in the opioid crisis. Critics argue that pharmaceutical marketing prioritizes profits over public health.

See also

• Pharmaceutical industry
• Direct-to-consumer advertising
• Medical education
• Pharmaceutical sales representative