Comments on: DTC Ads Were The ‘Worst Decision:’ Roche Exec http://www.pharmalot.com/2008/12/dtc-ads-were-the-worst-decision-roche-exec/ News, Comment and Conversation Fri, 10 Feb 2012 20:21:53 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: atlex http://www.pharmalot.com/2008/12/dtc-ads-were-the-worst-decision-roche-exec/#comment-385414 atlex Tue, 23 Dec 2008 01:11:16 +0000 http://www.pharmalot.com/?p=18160#comment-385414 Rita, You are incorrect. While the amlodipine portion of Caduet is available generically, the atorvastatin is not available generically; atorvastatin is int he same class as, but is not the same as simvastatin. Moreover, for most insured people on Caduet, the cost of Caduet is no more than the two ingredients separately. Atlex Rita,

You are incorrect. While the amlodipine portion of Caduet is available generically, the atorvastatin is not available generically; atorvastatin is int he same class as, but is not the same as simvastatin. Moreover, for most insured people on Caduet, the cost of Caduet is no more than the two ingredients separately.

Atlex

]]> By: Rita http://www.pharmalot.com/2008/12/dtc-ads-were-the-worst-decision-roche-exec/#comment-385410 Rita Mon, 22 Dec 2008 22:39:37 +0000 http://www.pharmalot.com/?p=18160#comment-385410 Suddenly people who watch 30 second commercials are telling their doctors what pills they should be taking. Ridiculous! The average joe doesn't know that a drug like Caduet has two ingredients that can be purchased MUCH cheaper separately than together. One is Amlodipine and the other is Atorvastatin. With my RxDrugCard I can get 30 tablets of Amlodipine for $9 and 30 tablets of Simvastatin for $9. I’ll bet they are charging more than $18 for this new drug! I think that RxDrugCard.com is the best drug card available for prescription discounts. The monthly family membership fee is only $4.95! You can’t beat that! Suddenly people who watch 30 second commercials are telling their doctors what pills they should be taking. Ridiculous! The average joe doesn’t know that a drug like Caduet has two ingredients that can be purchased MUCH cheaper separately than together. One is Amlodipine and the other is Atorvastatin. With my RxDrugCard I can get 30 tablets of Amlodipine for $9 and 30 tablets of Simvastatin for $9. I’ll bet they are charging more than $18 for this new drug! I think that RxDrugCard.com is the best drug card available for prescription discounts. The monthly family membership fee is only $4.95! You can’t beat that!

]]> By: Bruce Berger http://www.pharmalot.com/2008/12/dtc-ads-were-the-worst-decision-roche-exec/#comment-383531 Bruce Berger Wed, 03 Dec 2008 01:43:13 +0000 http://www.pharmalot.com/?p=18160#comment-383531 boniva, and before OTC alli there was xenical Of course with so many oncology drugs, Roche does a minimum - but not out of ethics, but marketing forces for it's line boniva, and before OTC alli there was xenical

Of course with so many oncology drugs, Roche does a minimum - but not out of ethics, but marketing forces for it’s line

]]> By: Jaynesday http://www.pharmalot.com/2008/12/dtc-ads-were-the-worst-decision-roche-exec/#comment-383524 Jaynesday Tue, 02 Dec 2008 23:13:02 +0000 http://www.pharmalot.com/?p=18160#comment-383524 Justice, I agree. What the public perceives whether true or false, right or wrong is most important. Pharma companies have pretty much been out of the public eye as far as name brands go but when the industry as a whole gets a black eye no matter what the cause, it takes everything down. I use the American automotive industry as an example, excluding the current situation as this isn't an auto industry caused problem. Justice, I agree. What the public perceives whether true or false, right or wrong is most important.
Pharma companies have pretty much been out of the public eye as far as name brands go but when the industry as a whole gets a black eye no matter what the cause, it takes everything down. I use the American automotive industry as an example, excluding the current situation as this isn’t an auto industry caused problem.

]]> By: Justice in MI http://www.pharmalot.com/2008/12/dtc-ads-were-the-worst-decision-roche-exec/#comment-383521 Justice in MI Tue, 02 Dec 2008 22:44:27 +0000 http://www.pharmalot.com/?p=18160#comment-383521 I suspect it's an issue of short and long-term gains. While DTC has made the "blockbuster" model possible, and it does sell pills, it has also contributed to degrading the overall image of the industry as "something special." Are there other factors? Of course. But if this is "an industry people love to hate" (title of a pro-industry op ed), DTC provides one very visible target, fair or not. I suspect it’s an issue of short and long-term gains. While DTC has made the “blockbuster” model possible, and it does sell pills, it has also contributed to degrading the overall image of the industry as “something special.”

Are there other factors? Of course. But if this is “an industry people love to hate” (title of a pro-industry op ed), DTC provides one very visible target, fair or not.

]]> By: bob ehrlich http://www.pharmalot.com/2008/12/dtc-ads-were-the-worst-decision-roche-exec/#comment-383515 bob ehrlich Tue, 02 Dec 2008 21:44:09 +0000 http://www.pharmalot.com/?p=18160#comment-383515 Mr. Burns is entitled to his opinion on DTC but it is disingenuous to think criticism of the drug industry was caused by DTC. In fact criticism of high retail prices and drug safety long pre-dated DTC. In fact DTC is a minor portion of drug promotion costs. Detailing, sampling, medical meetings, and journal ads make up 90% of marketing budgets. Were those decisions to spend on those tactics equally bad? I think Mr. Burns is deciding to pick on the wrong thing and scapegoat it. If the drug industry had provided price support programs like PPA ten years ago we may not have the current criticisms. DTC is not without its faults but its messages are transparent to consumers and regulators. As CEO, Mr. Burns has the power to end DTC at his company if he chooses. I assume, however, he thinks it is fine for his product Boniva. Mr. Burns is entitled to his opinion on DTC but it is disingenuous to think criticism of the drug industry was caused by DTC. In fact criticism of high retail prices and drug safety long pre-dated DTC. In fact DTC is a minor portion of drug promotion costs. Detailing, sampling, medical meetings, and journal ads make up 90% of marketing budgets. Were those decisions to spend on those tactics equally bad?

I think Mr. Burns is deciding to pick on the wrong thing and scapegoat it. If the drug industry had provided price support programs like PPA ten years ago we may not have the current criticisms. DTC is not without its faults but its messages are transparent to consumers and regulators. As CEO, Mr. Burns has the power to end DTC at his company if he chooses. I assume, however, he thinks it is fine for his product Boniva.

]]> By: Let's go back to the 70's man! http://www.pharmalot.com/2008/12/dtc-ads-were-the-worst-decision-roche-exec/#comment-383503 Let's go back to the 70's man! Tue, 02 Dec 2008 19:02:51 +0000 http://www.pharmalot.com/?p=18160#comment-383503 So who's the pharma exec that said their co spent more on R&D than marketing?! How could they? Pull their 10-Q! (www.sec.gov for those that haven't) This guys an idiot!!! Stubborn fact is that only ~1/3 of Americans with a medical condition are treated. Over the last 15 years the utilization ratio of Rx has increased from a rate below other industrialized countries to comparable. DTC is the reason they are benefiting from the work that R&D accomplishes. Yes, SG&A could be ignored and profits to produce new medicines could be less... that experiment has just begun. In light of the limits on small molecule discoveries, the antiquated block-buster model and a Congressionally squeezed FDA, major pharma will turn into the Big 3 and spec pharma's & biotechs will continue to grow. If those 'winners' can pitch their med's to their select patient groups, maybe those profits could produce biologic or targeted discoveries for the next generation. So who’s the pharma exec that said their co spent more on R&D than marketing?! How could they? Pull their 10-Q! (www.sec.gov for those that haven’t) This guys an idiot!!!

Stubborn fact is that only ~1/3 of Americans with a medical condition are treated. Over the last 15 years the utilization ratio of Rx has increased from a rate below other industrialized countries to comparable. DTC is the reason they are benefiting from the work that R&D accomplishes. Yes, SG&A could be ignored and profits to produce new medicines could be less… that experiment has just begun.

In light of the limits on small molecule discoveries, the antiquated block-buster model and a Congressionally squeezed FDA, major pharma will turn into the Big 3 and spec pharma’s & biotechs will continue to grow.

If those ‘winners’ can pitch their med’s to their select patient groups, maybe those profits could produce biologic or targeted discoveries for the next generation.

]]> By: Jaynesday http://www.pharmalot.com/2008/12/dtc-ads-were-the-worst-decision-roche-exec/#comment-383488 Jaynesday Tue, 02 Dec 2008 17:28:19 +0000 http://www.pharmalot.com/?p=18160#comment-383488 Per Roche - "Those direct-to-consumer ads you see in the US have been a big mistake for the global drug industry, undermining the reputation of the sector in the eyes of patients," It sounds to me like Roche is catching on to the great danger looming in the pharma future - that being the public's perception of pharma in general. I've said it before but when the term "pharmaceuticals" = "dangerous or untrustworth" the harm will be done and getting out of the hole that they have dug will require more than the accumulated profit they have ever made. Losing the trust of the consumer is easy because you can still make a profit while doing it. Gaining the trust of the consumer back cost massive amounts of money that you don't have. There will be others ready to jump in when the time is right. The American consumer's perceptions are slow to change but a powerful force that can level any industry. I agree with Nathan that all the players have to change because it only takes a few bad apples.... We currently can identify who the bad apples are. That's enough to know that their destructive influence is now spreading through the barrel. Per Roche -
“Those direct-to-consumer ads you see in the US have been a big mistake for the global drug industry, undermining the reputation of the sector in the eyes of patients,”

It sounds to me like Roche is catching on to the great danger looming in the pharma future - that being the public’s perception of pharma in general.
I’ve said it before but when the term “pharmaceuticals” = “dangerous or untrustworth” the harm will be done and getting out of the hole that they have dug will require more than the accumulated profit they have ever made.

Losing the trust of the consumer is easy because you can still make a profit while doing it. Gaining the trust of the consumer back cost massive amounts of money that you don’t have. There will be others ready to jump in when the time is right.

The American consumer’s perceptions are slow to change but a powerful force that can level any industry.

I agree with Nathan that all the players have to change because it only takes a few bad apples…. We currently can identify who the bad apples are. That’s enough to know that their destructive influence is now spreading through the barrel.

]]> By: Nathan http://www.pharmalot.com/2008/12/dtc-ads-were-the-worst-decision-roche-exec/#comment-383477 Nathan Tue, 02 Dec 2008 16:32:53 +0000 http://www.pharmalot.com/?p=18160#comment-383477 The problem is that even if Roche decides that DTC ads are a bad thing, they won't stop unless there is some sort of "mutual standdown" among *all* of big pharma. Otherwise, if a couple of companies slow down thier DTC ads, thier market share will likely drop while market share by those that continue DTC will increase. (I don't think ANYONE argues that DTC doesn't work - the arguement is that it is bad for society and an overall waste of money) The problem is that even if Roche decides that DTC ads are a bad thing, they won’t stop unless there is some sort of “mutual standdown” among *all* of big pharma. Otherwise, if a couple of companies slow down thier DTC ads, thier market share will likely drop while market share by those that continue DTC will increase.

(I don’t think ANYONE argues that DTC doesn’t work - the arguement is that it is bad for society and an overall waste of money)

]]> By: Chris MacDonald http://www.pharmalot.com/2008/12/dtc-ads-were-the-worst-decision-roche-exec/#comment-383473 Chris MacDonald Tue, 02 Dec 2008 16:17:09 +0000 http://www.pharmalot.com/?p=18160#comment-383473 Interesting. I have deep worries about DTC, but I wonder if Burns's worries about credibility really make much sense. Only a tiny portion of the population knows about the advertising budgets of drug companies, and it's not clear that vague doubts about credibility matter as much as the visibility that ads bring. On the other hand, there was a recent study in Canada claiming to show that DTC isn't very effective anyway. I'm somewhat skeptical about that claim, for reasons I pointed out here: "Are Pharma Companies Idiots? Unlikely..." http://www.businessethics.ca/blog/2008/09/are-pharma-companies-idiots-unlikely.html Interesting.
I have deep worries about DTC, but I wonder if Burns’s worries about credibility really make much sense. Only a tiny portion of the population knows about the advertising budgets of drug companies, and it’s not clear that vague doubts about credibility matter as much as the visibility that ads bring.

On the other hand, there was a recent study in Canada claiming to show that DTC isn’t very effective anyway. I’m somewhat skeptical about that claim, for reasons I pointed out here:
“Are Pharma Companies Idiots? Unlikely…”
http://www.businessethics.ca/blog/2008/09/are-pharma-companies-idiots-unlikely.html

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