The lesson included that basically, the USP and the brand cannot be advertised at the same time. This creates problems for consumers who may want to go to their doctor about a product but may know what it does or may know what it does but not the brand. This can be very ineffective for companies who want to advertise their products but are not able to do so in the way that they want. However, this can create very creative advertising.
What I found most interesting about the lesson was the conventions that doctors hold and what they are or are not allowed to do. After hearing these regulations I compared it with pharmacist conventions that my mother has been to. In the lesson we learned that companies are not allowed to give doctors gifts like golf clubs with the company logo but are allowed to have samples of products for their own use or educational items. However, this included pens, mouse pads, samples of products, post it notes and various other supplies. My mom recently went to a convention and got all kinds of free things. I found it interesting that pharmacists are getting random free things from companies but perhaps doctors are not allowed to. As much as these items are small, it is still promoting loyalty from doctors to a certain pharmaceutical brands. Doctors may prefer to go to certain brands because they know they will receive free office supplies from them. Also, if this goes to the consumer it may affect their buying habits. If the consumer is using pens in the doctor’s office from a certain brand they may want to try that product. Or if they see their pharmacist using post it notes, or highlighters from a certain company the consumer may believe that that brand is the best.
In the class lesson we learned that a certain percentage of doctor’s conventions must be educational and the rest can be pharmaceutical companies sampling their products and advertising their product to doctors. I compared this to pharmacist conventions where pharmacists also have a large portion of the event spent in a classroom setting. My mother described these events as “continuing education type events” where pharmacists come together to learn about the new technologies in the pharmacy world. My mother also informed me that the event is also fun, filled with dances, and depending on where it is located, site seeing and comedic acts.
During pharmacy conventions, there is also time for pharmaceutical companies to show new products to pharmacists. They give away free items which can include sample products, pens, mouse pads, post it notes, etc. Though I’m not sure if this is the same in doctor conventions, my mother assured me that doctors do indeed get many free items, mostly samples which she said that doctors are allowed to give patients free samples of products while the pharmacists are not. As much as most of these items are small office supplies, it is still promoting loyalty from doctors and pharmacists to a certain pharmaceutical brands. Doctors may prefer to go to certain brands because they know they will receive free office supplies from them. Also, if this goes to the consumer it may affect their buying habits. If the consumer is using pens in the doctor’s office from a certain brand they may want to try that product. Or if they see their pharmacist using post it notes, or highlighters from a company the consumer may believe that that brand is the best. My mother also informed me that pharmacists are allowed to use advertising materials such as posters, pens, etc. while doctors are not suppose to. This again increases the chance of a consumer using a certain brand if the pharmacy uses products from one company.
In conclusion I found the advertising by companies in conventions and the use of branded items and free gifts between doctors and pharmacists to be unfair. Both are health care professionals and should equally be responsible for what the consumer is being treated with. If the point in disallowing doctors to have branded promotional items in their office available to consumers is to protect the consumer then why are pharmacists allowed to do it? I think that the advertising laws should apply for all health care providers and if doctors are not allowed to accept gifts, it should apply to all gifts and should also be applied to pharmacists.
Another part of the assignment was to show one of our journal entries to our teacher. After showing this write up,Yvonne asked me what my mother thinks about what is going on between doctors and if she is effected by brand preferences.
ReplyDeleteI discussed with her that my mother finds it unfair that doctors are getting things that pharmacists do not and the fact that doctors really are receiving free items, even if it's only samples of products. Doctors can give these samples out to patients and encourage loyalty to a certain brand to consumers.
My mother, after watching her work, I find is not effected by brand loyalty or loyalties to companies. She worked at a pharmaceutical company that made their own name brand product but my mother always think of the patient. From my experience she has never recommended a brand because she was expected to, she only recommends brands that will help the patient in the best way possible.