In a series of reports on ‘disease-mongering’, the Public Library of Science Medicine suggests that pharmaceutical companies intentionally widen the boundaries of illness in order to expand the potential patient population. Journal editors David Henry and Ray Moynihan present evidence of pharmaceutical industry-funded disease-awareness campaigns, which they say are designed to unnecessarily promote illness.
The research provides examples of specific disorders, such as restless legs syndrome and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children, which are exaggerated in order to attract public attention. It is also describes aspects of ordinary life, such as menopause, being medicalized and risk factors, such as high cholesterol and osteoporosis, being framed as diseases.
It is even alleged that the industry invents diseases to provide a market to sell more drugs which then actually place people at risk.
In addition to turning healthy people into patients, disease-mongering is also said to damage national healthcare systems, which end up wasting limited resources on areas of minimal importance. With the practice of disease-mongering said to present a global challenge to public health, the researchers insist that a global response is required.
Although the work will highlights the need for greater awareness regarding the marketing tactics of drug manufacturers, the focus of attention is likely to fall on the US pharmaceutical industry, which holds much more relaxed drug advertising regulations than in Europe.