Jennifer Rocha
Instructor M. Whitfield
Business Ethics -MGMT 368D
Paper 2 - Deontological
February 7, 2015

THE ETHICS OF DIRECT TO CONSUMER MARKETING OF PRESCREPTION DRUGS FROM A DEONTOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE

The purpose of this paper is to explore the ethics of direct to consumer marketing of prescription drugs from a deontological perspective shaped by Kant’s Categorical Imperative testing method. In researching this issue one thing that I found as interesting fact is that of the some 200 countries in the world, only the United Sates and New Zealand allow direct to consumer pharmaceutical advertising (DTCPA) (DeGeorge 320) . Clearly worldwide there is an ethical issue with allowing consumers to become aware of medications based on advertising on TV or in magazines, newspapers and billboards. I too, feel that there are ethical issues, using Kant’s Categorical Imperative we will evaluate the morality of such advertising and its consequences. I read an article by ABC contributor Larry Woodard, it grabbed my attention in the first few sentences “I sat in my doctor's office a couple of weeks ago waiting for my annual physical. I soon grew tired of all the science and car magazines and started looking around. As in most doctors' offices, most things had pharmaceutical company logos on them: The clock, the Kleenex dispenser, the calendar. But what gave birth to this column was the doctor himself. He walked out of one of the examination rooms, clipboard in hand, talking to a patient. The guy was about my age and listening intently.
Then it happened. The doctor opened up a closet in the waiting room and I peered in. The shelves were lined with small boxes and bottles. All samples of popular drugs. I swear, I knew every one of them from their TV ads.” Instantly I could identify with Mr. Woodard’s experience. Not only do I have a medical background in nursing, but