Is sickness this generation's big seller?

Friday, September 14, 2012 by: Ben
Tags: chronic disease, corporate profits, public health

(NaturalNews) Advertisement is a tried and true method of selling certain product, and advertisement companies have a distinct knack for pinpointing the most effective techniques to turn a profit. From the 1950s to the 1970s, tobacco advertising was a booming industry. Since the Public Health Cigarette Smoking Act was passed, another target has been set: sickness. Prescription drug advertisement has proceeded to take over a significant role in today's media, and they're gearing for you - the consumer.

The tobacco industry has been subject to a vast number of regulations since the dangerous effects of smoking products have been discovered. Drug advertising; however, isn't facing such scrutiny, despite their products being highly addictive and exhibiting a host of additional effects. And this freedom of advertisement is proving successful.

It is estimated that in America, every hour of every day produces an average of 80 drug ads on TV. Approximately 1/3 of people who see these ads discuss at least one of these drugs with their doctor - and about 2/3 of these inquirers go on to ask for a prescription. The majority of the time, they get it.

Drug companies were not always this profitable, however. Doctors used to be the ones to pass along information about a helpful prescription for a patient's condition. This system was too slow and unable to drive in the money they wanted. So the tables turned, and drug companies became able to approach the consumers themselves. Due to this direct-to-consumer (DTC) approach, the profits have been able to skyrocket as high as $800 million for just one drug.

It's not just the advertisements getting stuck in the minds of consumers, either. The addictive levels of these drugs continues to increase because the more that people become addicted, the more they will spend to continue taking this drug. Additionally, with the DTC advertising, people are becoming more susceptible to thinking they have the symptoms of the illnesses shown, thus finding a need to purchase the drugs advertised.

Some could see this as advancements in medical technology, finally having the scientific capabilities to pinpoint previously unknown illness. Others could see this as just crafty advertisement. No matter your position; however, it is clear that the drug business has become its own successful niche in the advertising market. Evidently, sickness sells.

Sources for this article include:

http://www.topsecretwriters.com

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1905530,00.html

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113675737

About the author:
Ben enjoys writing about the benefits of green tea at Tendig.com, a revenue sharing site that publishes unique and interesting articles.