Consumer Awareness vs. Disease Mongering: GSK & Restless Legs Syndrome

This case study examines GlaxoSmithKline's (GSK) marketing strategies for Requip, a drug initially approved for Parkinson's disease and later for Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS). The case highlights GSK's promotional advertising, including direct-to-consumer campaigns and medical journal publications, aimed at increasing awareness and sales of Requip. The analysis delves into the ethical considerations of disease mongering versus consumer awareness, referencing the Consumer Protection Act and the role of the Food and Drug Administration. Economic and family decision-making models are applied to understand consumer behavior and treatment choices. The study also considers the potential application of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and the Howard Sheith Model to better align marketing efforts with patient needs and perceptions, while addressing concerns about misleading safety messages and the importance of risk assessment in pharmaceutical marketing.

Running head: MARKETING
Healthcare marketing
Name of the student:
Name of the university:
Author note:

2
MARKETING
1. The behaviour of the customers change according to the strategies adopted by the
brands like GlaxoSmithKleine. In the case, the strategy of promotional advertisements
were adopted for the luring the customers towards the drugs for unappreciated
malady. Catering to the aspect of costs in advertising is an initiatives towards
mapping the purchasing power and decisions of the customers. In this sense, Kemp et
al., (2017) states that the promotional advertisement strategies are an agent for
influencing the purchasing decisions and power of the clients and the customers.
Advertising campaigns are the processes for mapping the alterations in the behaviour
of the consumers. Herein mention can be made of the decision-making process, which
is crucial for detecting the potential customers, who can contribute in increasing the
sales revenue and profit margin. Reference can be cited of the Pavlovian model,
which states that change is inevitable in the behavioural aspects of the individuals,
that is, the customers. According to Haimowitz, (2016), exposure to these changes
assists the consumers to learn about the tactics of the brands to increase the market
share. Stimulus drives the behaviour of the customers into a specific direction, where
they detect the brands catering to their specific needs, demands and requirements.
2. For the promotion of the Requip, advertising strategy was used for assessing the
approach of the customers. Approval from Food and Drug Administration relates to
the ethical and legal parameter, covered under the standards and protocols of the
Consumer Protection Act (2005). The scope and arena of the advertising extended to
the doctors, publishing their articles in the medical journals. Prior to this direct
marketing strategy was being followed for generating customer oriented practices.
The aim of this strategy was the creation of awareness regarding Restless Leg
Syndrome and its treatment. Apart from this, Raina and Srivastava, (2019) highlights
that survey was also conducted for gaining an insight into the approaches of the

3
MARKETING
Americans by availing the treatment services. In view of all these aspects, Economic
Model can be applied in the business of GlaxoSmithKleine for achieving customer
satisfaction. The basic essence of this model lies in maximizing the utility through the
reduction of the marginal utility. The brand needed to be strategic in terms of aligning
the performance to the need of the customers regarding gaining maximum utility at
the expense of spending less. Herein lays the appropriateness of reducing the
operating costs. The activities of this model revolved around calculation of the
income and substitution effect, which acted assistance in mapping the spending
capacity of the consumers.
3. Promotional advertising strategy was used for gaining an insight into the approaches
of the customers requesting for Requip services. Survey responses were considered
for collecting information regarding the outcome post treatment. As stated by
Fortenberry and McGoldrick, (2016), one of the positive points was the absence of the
need of overdiagnosis, indicating that the treatment services were of high quality and
gained high utility value for the customers. One of the striking features is the
misleading messages in the websites regarding the safety of Ropinirole. The aspect of
misleading contradicts the strategic approach towards mapping the consumer
behaviour. The estimations in this context was that the doctors were asked to
encourage the patients to indulge in question answer session for clarifying their
doubts. On the contrary, Balogun and Ogunnaike, (2017) states that every medicine
has specific qualities, which are exclusive to their medical condition. Herein lays the
appropriateness of risk assessment exercise, rewards and recognition, which adds
value to the decision making process. Family decision making model can be
correlated to the business of GlaxoSmithKleine, where ensuring the wellbeing of
others is the main motto. As a matter of specification, reference can be cited of

4
MARKETING
industrial buying model, which revolves around the undertaken decisions for
enhancing the industrial effectiveness. Along with this, the model generated inclusive
working practices in the workplace, diversifying the culture.
4. I personally feel that physicians need to conduct the business operations through the
consideration of Maslow’s hierarchy of Needs model. Acquiring this model would
help in detecting the most important need of the customers (patients), which is
possession of quality treatment services. On the other hand, the most important needs
of the physicians is attainment of self-esteem through professional growth and
development (Ben Ayed & El Aoud, 2017). I also think that Howard Sheith Model
can be applicable in the business of GlaxoSmithKleine. This model would seem
effective for detecting the complexities in the consumer behaviour, especially
attitudes, perception levels, learning capacity and others. Acquisition of the model
needs conscious approach towards attaching higher returns on investments made by
the clients and the customers.

5
MARKETING
References
Balogun, B., & Ogunnaike, O. O. (2017). Healthcare Organisations in a global marketplace: a
systematic Review of the literature on healthcare marketing. Journal of Marketing
Management and Consumer Behavior, 1(5).
Ben Ayed, M., & El Aoud, N. (2017). The patient empowerment: A promising concept in
healthcare marketing. International Journal of Healthcare Management, 10(1), 42-48.
Fortenberry Jr, J. L., & McGoldrick, P. J. (2016). Internal marketing: A pathway for
healthcare facilities to improve the patient experience. International Journal of
Healthcare Management, 9(1), 28-33.
Haimowitz, I. J. (2016). Healthcare relationship marketing: strategy, design and
measurement. Routledge.
Kemp, E., Bui, M., Krishen, A., Homer, P. M., & LaTour, M. S. (2017). Understanding the
power of hope and empathy in healthcare marketing. Journal of Consumer Marketing,
34(2), 85-95.
Raina, M., & Srivastava, M. (2019). Usage Intention towards Online Healthcare in context to
consumer. Indian Journal of Public Health Research & Development, 10(5), 686-691.