Question

Explain IN YOUR OWN WORD each of these following questions in 2-4 sentences.

A)How have you seen branding at work in non-pharmaceutical commodities (i.e., shoes, food, vehicles)? What are the similarities and/or differences in how marketers attempt to brand prescription drugs?

B)Adverse drug reactions are the fifth leading cause of death in the United States. Do you think most people are aware of this? Why or why not? Reflect on how you feel about this.

C)Some would suggest that pharmaceutical advertising is educational. Do you think there is any support for this? Why or why not?

D)Do you think having multiple versions of the same drug for consumers to choose from is of any benefit? Why or why not?

E)Generic drugs are typically cheaper than and just as effective as name brand drugs. Why is it then that consumers continue to purchase the name brand drugs?

Answer 1

Answers:

(A) Non-pharmaceutical commodities are branded in a variety of ways. The companies use creative ways to advertise, such as making the advertisement with a celebrity, ensuring people about the quality and communicating with the people in a powerful way.

Pharmaceutical marketing involves:

(i) The people are made aware about the medical condition and sugget the people to visit the doctor, but does not reveal the product.

(ii) The second strategy includes the name of the product, strength and dosage but doesn't make any claim. This is somewhat similar to branding non-pharma commodities.

(iii) The third startegy includes the name of the drug along with indications, efficacy and safety claims.

(B) Most people are unaware of this. Patients go the healthcare center and doctors with a vision to get their ailments treated. They solely depend upon the healthcare professionals for their treatment. Adverse drug reactions creep in due to prescription of multiple and profitable drugs by the doctors, everytime the patient visits with a new symptom.

I feel that people should be educated about the adverse side reactions of the drugs they are prescribed. For example, the prescription of highly addictive drugs and antidepressants may prove to be lethal, as long term use of those may incur suicidal tendencies in the patient. The people going for the treatment have the right for trial transparency.

(C) Pharmaceutical advertising is educational. Several diseases in today's scenario are under treated. These include hypertension, high cholesterol and depression. Advertising can be educational in this case as it may compel the patients to get treated in a health center.

(D) Yes. If the consumers are aware about the fact that brand name drugs and generic drugs are equivalent in all respects, they can go for the same drug at a much cheaper price if multiple versions of the drug is available.

(E) Like brand name drug, generic drug needs to have the same active ingredient, dose and concentration, routine of administration and strength. But, generic drug may not contain the same inactive ingredients as the branded drug and may also differ in shape, colour and packaging. The presence of these inactive ingredients does not guarantee that there will be no side effects.

Moreover, the consumers have an intuition that branded drugs are produced through superior processes compared to generic drugs. The consumers know their drugs (medicines) by the brand name and may get confused with the name of the generic drugs. So, they continue to purchase the brand name products although generic drugs are cheaper.