| abstract | The purpose of this research essay is to examine the effect of direct-to-consumer (DTC) marketing of pharmaceuticals on key
stakeholders in the United States. Compared to the human history of medicine, even in its modern sense, the implementation of business driven medical policy (and
resulting advertisements) is quite new. To provide a background and define the place this paper holds in the biomedical ethical academic conversation, I examine
in a literature review some of what has been previously discussed on this topic. Additionally, provided is a short history of practices and legislation in both
the US and comparable industrialized countries. I argue the American pharmaceutical industries' employment of direct-to-consumer marketing is unethical because
it changes the doctor-patient relationship in an unacceptable way, which leads to a decrease in the potential quality of patient care that can be feasibly rendered
and an increase in negative outcomes. The analysis portion is conducted in subsections using three moral philosophies. The Prima Facie section, in line with what
the principles are designed for, is a first glance and overview of the situation as it stands now. The section on Utilitarianism is the heart of my argument and
provides a quantitative analysis of the effect of DTC advertising. The last method, Kantian philosophy, wraps up and reinforces the findings of the first two
analytical sections. In conclusion, I bring together the information explored, return to my argument, and compare the results before wrapping up with a prescriptive
method for resolving the issues currently created by pharmaceutical marketing.
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