Drug Company Research vs. Ads
The study, entitled The Cost Of Pushing Pills is the product of two Canadian researchers, Marc-Andre Gagnon and Joel Lexchin. Their analysis of data from two market research companies, CAM and IMS, found that US drug companies spent (US)$57.5 billion on promotional activities in 2004, the latest year for which figures were available. In comparison, the National Science Foundation (NSF) reported that in 2004 the amount of industrial pharmaceutical research and development (including public funds for industrial research and development) was $31.5 billion in the US.