Pharmaceutical companies work very hard to get the ward out to patients with specific illnesses when they have a new drug to treat that illness. People with a wide range of diseases have benefited from the advances in pharmaceutical research. But some are concerned by the way some companies market specific medications. Doctors worry about 'disease-mongering," corporate-sponsored exaggeration of maladies that drives consumers to request and receive unnecessary rnedications. Diagnoses of rare diseases are soaring. and even mild cases of maladies are being treated with drugs. Diseases cited include restless legs syndrome, social anxiety disorder, irritates bone syndrome, and bipolar disorder. The drug makers say they are only trying to educate patients and that labels contain important intimation on the product. In addition, the pharmaceutical companies stress that the final decision for any medication is made by the doctor.
1. How do pharmaceutical marketers segment the market?
2. How do they position their medications?
3. Are these marketing strategies socially responsible?