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The average cost to bring to market a so-called block-buster drug is currently estimated at $895 million (EFPIA, 2002). Obviously firms who spend that kind of money need to recoup their costs. Furthermore industry analysts point out that Big Pharma under pressure. It needs to expand sales of blockbuster drugs since there are fewer drugs in pipeline. In order to sustain current levels of growth, firms would need to introduce one new product each year that would sell $4.9 million for each 1 to 1.5 per cent it has of the world pharmaceutical market. “A company the size of the. | EJBO Electronic Journal of Business Ethics and Organization Studies Vol. 9 No. 2 Pharmaceutical Marketing - Time for Change By Joan Buckley JB@UCC.IE Abstract This paper reviews current marketing practices in the pharmaceutical sector and their impact on consumer and doctor behaviour. It identifies negative impacts which include misleading advertising disease mongering and escalating costs. It argues the need to move from industry self-regulation to an independently monitored code of practice for pharmaceutical marketing. Keywords Pharmaceutical marketing methods Direct to Consumer Advertising Introduction This paper reviews current marketing practices in the pharmaceutical sector examining both consumer and doctor-oriented promotion. It presents examples of marketing practices and their impact on consumer and doctor behaviour. It identifies negative impacts of these practices which include misleading advertising disease mongering and escalating costs. It goes on to argue the need for an independently-monitored code of practice for marketers in the pharmaceutical sector and a greater degree of consumer education for both end-users and those prescribing drugs. The context In May 2003 the British Medical Journal devoted a special edition to the relationship between doctors and pharmaceutical companies entitled time to untangle doctors from drug companies Moynihan 2003 . The theme was relationship between the medical profession and the pharmaceutical industry Big Pharma . The medical profession in Europe in conjunction with many social movements has begun to consider seriously the appropriateness of current relationships between Big Pharma and the health sector. This is occurring in the context of legal actions around corrupt sales practices in Europe such as those against GlaxoSmithKline GSK in Germany Gopal 2002 and Italy Turone 2003 and the major action against TAP Pharmaceutical Products Inc in the United States which resulted in a 875 million dollar settlement in