"Markets change, tastes change, so the companies and the individuals who choose to compete in those markets must change."( Wang, n.d. as cited by Morrison, p. 113). In modern medicine, disease treatment is more importance than disease prevention, as doctors focus more on treatment of symptoms of rather than determining its root cause. This is mirrored in the media by the large numbers of direct-consumer advertisements aimed at persuading patients themself to ask their doctors about various drug. Direct consumer marketing in the health-care industry is allowed in the USA. The health-care industry includes numerous subdivisions devoted to make available health-care services and products. The health-care industry comprise of health-care equipment and services as well as life sciences, biotechnology, and pharmaceuticals. The subdivisions connected with these are: diagnostic materials, hospitals, medical instruments and equipment, diagnostic laboratories, drug delivery, drug manufacturers, nursing homes, home health-care and providers of health-care plans. Health-care consists of medical practice, dental practice, hospitals, activities of, or under the supervision of, midwives, nurses, physiotherapists, diagnostic or scientific laboratory, pathology clinic, ambulances, nursing homes, or other paramedical practitioners like optometrist, medical massage therapist, music therapist, occupational therapist, speech therapist, chiropodist, homeopathic practitioner, acupuncture practitioner, etc. As cited by Berkowitz (2006), American Marketing Association, defines marketing as “the process of planning and executing the conception, pricing, promotion, and distribution of ideas, goods, and services to create exchanges that satisfy individual and organizational objectives.”(p. 2). Advertising and promotion did not exist within health care until 1975. American Medical Association (AMA) had within its codes of ethics a prohibition
References: Allergan, Inc. (2010). Latisse. Retrieved from http://www.latisse.com/Latisse.aspx?state=10 Bayer Pharmaceuticals Corporation. (2004-2009). LEVITRA (vardenafil HCI). Retrieved from http://www.levitra.com/?banner_s=208382770&rotation_s=30493388&kw=p387032505511 Berkowitz, E. N. (2006). Essentials of health care marketing (2nd ed.). Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett. Lilly USA, LLC. (2010). CIALIS® (tadalafil) tablets. Retrieved from http://www.cialis.com/Pages/index.aspx?WT.srch=1 Morrison, E.E, (2011). Ethics in Health Administration: A Practical Approach for Decision Makers (2nd Ed.). Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett.