Big Pharma: Markets & Culture

Catalog description

The multi‐national pharmaceutical industry grew exponentially in the 1990s, producing blockbuster drugs, new (global) markets, and, some would argue, new “disorders.” This course will explore the roots and tactics of this growth and trace pharmaceutical sales and marketing practices into the current era. Students will gain a deep understanding of how the industry markets products to prescribers, pharmacists, and medical consumers, from the activities of drug reps to direct‐to‐consumer advertising. A persistent theme of the course will be the cultural impact of modern pharmaceuticals on society and personhood.