The technique involves using a third party who appears independent rather than a drug company representative, who would have low credibility, to promote products. 

And it is no small business, as the top five companies in health care public relations earned over $300 million in 2002. 

Third party messengers do not actively disclose their ties to industry, a practice that is often reinforced by doctors, patients and journalists who do not demand that conflicts of interest be revealed. 

Medical publications also play a role in promoting drugs as even if study findings don’t support a specific drug, the introduction and discussion sections can deliver favorable messages. Plus, study titles can also be exploited to promote a certain message. 

Public relations firms may also hire freelance journalists to cover conferences and create upbeat reports to be placed in medical publications. 

Although health care public relations has traditionally focused on influencing doctors’ prescribing decisions, attention is being increasingly refocused on potential patients and patients’ groups. In the past, consumers relied heavily on doctors’ advice to make the decision of whether or not to take a drug. Now, consumers are exposed to direct marketing of drugs encouraging them to consider specific drugs and discuss them with their doctors. 

Further, patient groups are increasingly being sponsored by drug companies, which is creating debate about standards of disclosure by non-profit groups.

Drug companies also use public relations firms to defend against potential crises, as many doctors learn about adverse drug effects from the media. 
 

If a public relations crisis emerges, the firms use third party players to defend products or divert media attention because, again, drug company representatives would likely have little credibility in the public eye. 
 

Finally, the public relations industry is virtually unheard of in mainstream media reporting. Since reporting on the public relations industry is lacking, tactics aimed at shaping important health care decisions are allowed to flourish. 
 

BMJ May 31, 2003;326:1205-1207 (Full Text Article)
 
 

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DR. MERCOLA'S COMMENT: 
Without a close watch on public relations tactics, consumers might be inadequately informed about the side effects of drugs or get a distorted impression that a new, more expensive drug is markedly more effective or safer than an older and cheaper product. 

With the cost of prescriptions rising faster than other parts of the health care bill, the last thing the country needs are more consumers clamoring for high-cost drugs that are not much better than others.

What are the results of drug company ad campaigning?

Drug company ad campaigns are one of the main reasons why spending for prescription drugs is the fastest-growing category of health care expenditures. 

It is also one of the major contributing factors as to why physicians are the third leading cause of death in the United States; physicians rely on drugs to patch up the problem, rather than seeking the cause.