Denotation Case

We have all been sitting there watching our favorite show on television to have a commercial pop up about the newest prescription drug available, or flipping through our favorite magazine to find the five pages full of small print gibberish. This is called direct to consumer drug advertising. "Direct to consumer pharmaceutical advertising (DTCPA) has grown rapidly during the past several decades and is now the most prominent type of health communication that the public encounters. (Vetola) Out of all the developed nations New Zealand and the United States are the only two nations that allow this type of advertising. In 2005 drug companies spent a whopping $1.19 billion dollars just on television advertisements.

Not only are these advertisements annoying they are unethical. The moral rule by Immanuel Kant categorical imperative is "an unconditional moral obligation that is binding in all circumstances and is not dependent on a person's inclination or purpose. (Dictionary) The main goal of the pharmaceutical company is to sell the drugs. They do this any way they can even if it is using cute old couples sitting in bathtubs or animated characters to convince you're mind you need this new prescription. Pharmaceutical companies are using people as a mean to earn a profit. Kant felt people should never be the mean therefore it violates Kant's theory of categorical imperative. He also felt that it was morally wrong to lie, no matter what the circumstance. "Broadcast advertising creates false impressions about effectiveness and down plays possible adverse effects." (DeGeorge pg. 320) Often time's new prescriptions also have not been tested as long as an older one. So not all side effects are known yet, this information is not disclosed on the advertisement. People have a false sense about these drugs. This behavior is pretty much lying; not telling the whole truth is just as bad as a direct lie. These actions alone are morally incorrect.

John Rawls stated in A Theory of Justice "the more advantaged are not to be better off at any point to the detriment of the less well off" (Rawls pg.124) Direct to consumer drug advertising encourages people to ask their doctors about a particular prescription drug. "The insured respond much more positively to DTC ads than the self-paying patients perhaps because they do not undertake the full cost of office visits and/or resulting prescriptions."(Iizuka pg.4) The uninsured in this case do not have the same advantages as the insured do. They cannot always afford to go to the doctors. Therefore the more advantaged people, (the insured) are better off than the less well off (the uninsured) people. Veil of ignorance was not used when these pharmaceutical ads are created. The ads are directed to the insured or the person that can afford the out of pocket cost. New prescription drugs are very expensive, the companies know this. Not only does it make it harder for the uninsured, increased prescription use drives up the cost the health insurance companies pay out which drives up the cost of health insurance to consumers as well as companies and doctors. So now the doctors have to raise their prices. This is a no win situation for the less well off.

Not allowing Direct to consumer drug advertisements could be considered a violation of our first amendment right, freedom of speech. This type of advertisement helps to encourage a person to go to the doctor, or bring an issue up to the doctor. It is even said to help creates better communication. "Patients become more involved in their health care." (FDA) They see the ad and realize there might be some help or relief for a problem they are experiencing. Direct to consumer drug advertising also provided revenue for the pharmaceutical companies. Some might think that direct to consumer advertisement affects the greater good.

The more people know the more they are involved possibly the longer healthier happier lives they will live. The greater good is always important; therefore it could be said that this type of advertising is ethical. Let's look deeper, is the patient really the greater good here. The consumer may now think the problem they are experiencing