Week 6 Discussion

Respond to the following in a minimum of 175 words (Use APA Style):

Imagine your client company markets paramedical supplies, such as back support braces, scooters, and prosthetic devices. Your marketing company relies on medical referrals and direct response marketing. Discuss potential regulatory and ethical issues in the marketing of this client’s products. 

 

First Response:

Reply to these two students below. Be constructive and professional in your responses. (minimum of 175 words) (Uses APA Style)

Student 1- Kimberly Turner

According to our textbook, healthcare and medical marketing has come under increased scrutiny. Medical Supply can establish themselves through a wide variety of traditional and digital marketing and advertising platforms available today. Medical referrals usually come from a medical professional, which gets into the HIPPA Privacy Rule. ” The HIPAA Privacy Rule gives individuals important controls over whether and how their protected health information is used and disclosed for marketing purposes.” ("Marketing", 2020).  Patients/Consumers are required to give written authorization before the use and disclosure of health information. By the marketing company relying on medical referrals a careful understanding of marketing products to clients must be communicated to healthcare professionals.

Common marketing practices in other industries may be illegal in the healthcare sector. Marketing specialists must understand limits on the healthcare industry, especially where incentives are offered for referrals. The company should ensure that its marketing practices comply with the federal and state rules and regulations.

When using direct marketing for medical supplies it is important not to make promises of its use or the over emphasize its effectiveness without accurate and factual information. Ethics should be a concern in any type of marketing.

References:

Clow, K. E. & Baack, D. (2018). Integrated advertising, promotion, and marketing communications (8th ed.): Pearson.  

Marketing. (2020). Retrieved 11 November 2020, from https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-professionals/privacy/guidance/marketing/index.html

 

Second response Reply here:

Student 2- Emily Mccallum

It often seems anything health related can be very risky to advertise. Companies have a hard time making any claims or casual statements about the benefits that the products offer. Everything has to be tested, proven and irrefutable. If they over promise or are not clear, consumers could feel the products are misrepresented. This could lead to legal battles that can be very costly to fight and hurt the company’s reputation.

The company needs to strike a balance of encouraging medical staff to prescribe the product, without offering incentives that could bias the medical staff. When using direct marketing, the company must acquire consumer information ethically. They must follow the many rules and regulations set forth as to not invade consumer privacy.

There are many possible ethical concerns the company should be aware of. A few concerns to be aware of are that advertising perpetuates stereotyping of people with disabilities that may require these products and advertising increases the risk of offending users ((Clow & Baack, 2018, p. 730).

Reference

Clow, K. E. & Baack, D. (2018). Integrated advertising, promotion, and marketing communications (8th ed.): Pearson.  

Third response Reply here: