Eryn Garcia December 8, 2008 Persuasion and Propaganda – 002 Dr. Palmer Final Case Study A Prescription for Ethics Today, these universities and small biotech companies provide research for one-third of the drugs produced by the larger pharmaceutical companies; the most innovative drugs that are “marketed by the major drug companies are now licensed from universities or small biotech companies” (Angell 79). The change in society’s attitude toward wealth and the government’s authorization of indirect research by non-profit institutions are perhaps significant factors that have shifted the pharmaceutical industry’s position on marketing and the concern for tremendous financial increase. Many individuals promptly pay for their over-priced medication unaware that the research costs little for drug companies. PRWatch.org reports the rebranding of Prozac, pharmaceutical corporation Eli Lilly’s greatly used antidepressant. Eli Lilly was granted approval by the FDA to use Prozac to treat symptoms other than depression, so the previously green and yellow pill was recoated with pink and purple, and the name given to this “new” medication was Sarafem. Although Sarafem’s chemical composition remains exactly as Prozac’s, it is used to treat PMDD (premenstrual dysphoric disorder), a condition that may or may not truly exist. Unless careful research is conducted by the consumer, those who are diagnosed with PMDD and prescribed Sarafem are unaware that they are taking Prozac—the label does not indicate this fact. Rebranding is also another way for companies to compete against less costly generic drugs. Before an innovative drug with a new chemical composition is introduced to the market, the company is granted a patent for about fourteen years. During this time, generic or over-the-counter alternatives are not permitted to enter the market. But after this patent expires, a flood of substitutes for the original drug are available for patients. To avoid a loss in sales,...