Restless legs? Binge eating? Behind many disease-awareness campaigns are drug company dollars
ByIn January the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the amphetamine Vyvanse as the first drug for binge-eating disorder (BED). Four days later former tennis star Monica Seles appeared on to discuss her long-time struggle with BED, and public service announcements (PSAs) began to run on national television to raise awareness about the disorder, urging concerned viewers to talk to their doctors. It soon came to light that Seles was a paid spokesperson for Shire, the drug company that makes Vyvanse, and that the company had also sponsored the television PSAs. “Shire was clearly aware that recommending doctor visits would increase prescriptions for the drug,” says Jeffery Lacasse, a mental health researcher at Florida State University.
This is not the first time a pharmaceutical company has tried to educate the public about a condition for which it sells a treatment. “Promoting diseases to sell drugs is a common and venerable practice among drug companies,” explains Marcia Angell, a senior lecturer on social medicine at Harvard Medical School and former editor in chief of the . “They try to expand the size of the market by implying that nearly everyone has the condition.” Although some people may legitimately suffer from a particular disorder and require drug treatment, others might be diagnosed with a disorder they do not actually have or start taking medications that might not ultimately benefit them. As a drug-selling tactic, awareness campaigns are tried and true. Below are some other notable examples—and ways you can use this information as a consumer.
ADHD
Social anxiety disorder
Bipolar disorder
Restless legs syndrome
Staying savvy
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