Deontological ethics and moral theory

Drug Advertising

Ethics in Drug Advertising

The marketing through direct-to-consumer drug advertising is a controversial topic. The basis of the ethical reasoning related to this manner is what role the patient should have in their treatments. If patients have the ability to diagnose their own afflictions then such advertisements might offer practical insights to the range of treatments that are available to the patient. However, most individuals would be much better off following the advice of a medical professional than to be convinced by a promotional message that they might be suited for some form of pharmaceutical treatment. Yet drug advertising clearly works as the numbers of patients and prescription drug users dramatically increase with each marketing campaign. This analysis will consider the ethics involved with direct-to-consumer marketing from a few different angles.

Discussion

Most of the discussion about ethics and the social responsibility of marketers has been descriptive and focus on the way marketers behave or fail to behave (Robin & Reidenbach, 1987). There is a significant amount of space in which different opinions about the ethical responsibilities of drug markets can be voiced. While some argue that they have a right, if not a responsibility, to market their product with the best of their ability consistent with a free-market society. Others feel like the information provided should be factual in nature and not make an emotional appeal to attempt to sway consumers to purchase their goods if they are not a potential beneficiary of the type of drug being marketed. Other feel that there should be no drug marketing whatsoever and the patients should work with their doctors to determine to appropriate treatment for their affliction and thus no direct marketing is necessary.

The deontological approach considers decisions based mainly on the duties of an individual and the rights of the other; this means that an individual's behavior or decisions can be considered wrong even if an acceptable outcome happens to manifest (Wodak, 2007). This approach considers intentions more important than whatever the outcome may be. Therefore if a marketer is set out to sell as many pharmaceuticals as possible, to even those who might not need to take them, then this is obviously problematic from the deontological approach. Although from the business side, the intention is to maximize sales and revenues and there is a responsibility to the company's investors and stakeholders to do so, there is a line crossed with direct consumer drug advertisements.

Many of these advertisements are promoted so that the patient will bring up specific medications to their doctors that they may want to try. The patient may try to convince the doctor that they are an ideal candidate for the medication even if the doctor believes that some other treatment may be more suitable. Thus by marketing directly to patients, this could actually create a situation in which they are acting in a counterproductive manner to achieving their own health goals. Some of the questions that can be asked to tease out the ethical position that should be taken under the deontological approach include (Goertzel, N.d.):

Would I want everyone to act in this way?

Does this action respect everyone's rights? Especially the right to make their own decisions, not to be manipulated or exploited in any way. (Here egoistic ethics can apply, so long as compulsion is not used.)