Therapeutic-Class Wars -- Drug Promotion in a Competitive Marketplace

In today's prescription-drug marketplace a host of similar products compete for essentially the same population of patients. Between 1989 and 1993, for example, the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved 127 new molecular entities (excluding generic drugs), but only a minority offered a clear clinical advantage over existing therapies1. Many of the others are considered “me too” drugs because they are so similar to brand-name drugs already on the market. The preponderance of “me too” drugs has created a highly competitive marketplace for prescription drugs. Pharmaceutical companies are waging aggressive campaigns . . .