Drug Advertising Paradox

 

Government agencies or NGO’s that have community interests on the other hand usually provide unbiased information bulletins, primarily in the form of notices and public warnings. They are supposed to inform the public and filter any and all biases regarding the subjected medical product, device or service.

 

There is a parallel in the use of advertising and receipt of expert advice from third-party professionals, in other industry sectors:

 

 

There are multiple reasons why an individual seeking to invest their monies into a financial transaction or income earning mechanism requires the input and advise of financial advisors and securities legal counsel.

 

 

There are multiple reasons why the legal/judicial system requires a citizen have a legal representative act as an officer of the courts, to represent the defendant or plaintiff in a trial.

 

The same logistics and decision making methodologies apply to an individual contemplating or who is in the process of being subjected to a pharmaceutical product, service or clinical trial process; it will impact their personal safety and well-being.

 

The requirement for third-party intervention and representation is essential when an individual is contemplating or is in the process of being subjected to a product, service or process, be it financial, legal or medical by nature. The common element is that in each discipline, it will impact the personal safety, security and well-being of the participant/recipient. This is due but not limited to the following series of extenuating factors:

 

- technical procedures

- legal protocols and adherence

- regulatory guidelines and procedures

- emotional and physiological effects

- impact from the entire process.

 

In essence the participant/recipient’s judgement is blurred, biased, influenced by multiple factors thus distorting their ability to make sound decisions and actions; to allow a citizen to act in the best interests of their person and the community at large.

 

The financial, legal or medical advisor, also known as the accountant, lawyer or doctor respectively are professional consultants, licenced and operating on a fee for service basis. Their licences provide them with authority to operate within regulated parameters and strict guidelines. They are required to guide and advise their clients (patients) within the defined set of licenced criteria.

 

Ergo from a medical sector perspective, the general practitioner is being asked and paid to inform their patient and recommend a specific medical device, drug, service or therapy. The underlying focus is the type of information that is being made available both to the practicing, licenced professional and the patient. The present process is bi-directional:

 

1. There is publicly and readily available information available for a specific medical device, drug, service or therapy that a potential patient can acquire.

 

2. There is detailed, scientific and technical information provided to the medical professional or doctor for a specific medical device, drug, service or therapy.

 

Most of the required information is provided by the medical device or drug manufacturer or by a medical regulatory and public safety organization. Currently, the difference is not in the access to and availability of the required technical information both to the patient and the doctor. On the contrary, it is the lack of availability of simple, easy to read and understand, unbiased detailed information regarding a specific medical device, drug, service or therapy in simplified language. The onus therefore still today rests with the medical professional’s ability to:

 

- Interpret the technical information and data

- Make professional and informed decisions

- Convey the technical information and data to the patient

- Provide the patient with the ability to make their own informed decision

 

Our existing socio-economic infrastructure is driven by the polarization between opposing forces:

 

1.  Entities and individuals that have a vested and biased interest, in the successful marketing of a specific medical device, drug, service or therapy; they will derive a personal benefit, economic or non-economic remuneration.

 

2.  Entities and individuals that have a community, unbiased interest to serve their citizens in the safe use of a specific medical device, drug, service or therapy

 

3. Individuals that will personally benefit from their personal and safe use of a specific medical device, drug, service or therapy

 

Under the current infrastructure, we have to maintain a delicate advertising and promotional balance. This balance has to be measured in terms of:

 

1.Minimizing the biased advertising impact on the individual to make an informed decision for their personal and safe use of a specific medical device, drug, service or therapy.

 

2. Minimizing the information controls and promotional restrictions on the entities or individuals that form the supply chain of a specific medical device, drug, service or therapy.

 

3. Minimizing the regulatory involvement and intervention on information content by entities and individuals that have a community, unbiased interest to serve their citizens.

Dean Bouridis, BA, CDM, BSA