Promoting Strategies and Its Ethical Aspect: An Application in the Pharmaceutical Industry

Abstract

This study aims to reveal the strategies followed in the pharmaceutical industry, their ethical aspect and the image effect of the pharmaceutical companies on doctors’ prescribing habits.  The image of pharmaceutical companies, their contact with stakeholders in the sector, the strategies they follow, their representatives’ and managers’ honesty and reliability are seen vital for the doctor and the pharmacists called on. Besides, due to the competition in the pharmaceutical industry, promoting strategies have become crucial. It is important to take the ethical aspect into consideration in this process.

In the study, frequency analysis is conducted. The data is collected from doctors, pharmacists, managers and representatives in pharmaceutical companies working in the four different cities in Turkey.

Results of the study reveal that; attention-grabbing small promotional items are the most frequently used promoting tools;  pharmaceutical presentation is one of the most important promoting strategies that companies consider its ethical aspect in their marketing activities; drug samples are used by the patient; medical training is important for all the stakeholders in the industry; companies are giving more importance to promoting activities; goal-oriented marketing trends are rising; public relations enable the communication between the stakeholders; patient-centred view plays role in determining the promoting strategies; professionalism and honesty of the managers & representatives, and also the image of the company play role in doctors’ prescribing habits.

Keywords: Pharmaceutical industry, promoting, ethics, marketing strategies.