Date Approved
9-11-2006
Embargo Period
4-7-2016
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
M.A. in Public Relations
Department
Public Relations & Advertising
College
Ric Edelman College of Communication & Creative Arts
Advisor
Basso, Joseph
Subject(s)
Pharmaceutical ethics; Pharmaceutical industry--Public relations
Disciplines
Public Relations and Advertising
Abstract
This study takes a deeper look inside the ethics of pharmaceutical Public Relations within marketing campaigns. More specifically, the researcher performed case studies on the ethically questionable marketing campaigns of Fen-phen and Vioxx and compared that data with data collected from focus groups composed of Rowan University graduate Public Relations Alumni.
The case studies were performed through primary and secondary research of the campaigns conducted for Fen-phen and Vioxx. The data was then used to reconstruct the two campaigns. The focus group data was collected from three focus groups, each with four members, and all data was tabulated and then compared with the data of the case studies.
Findings indicate that Public Relations professionals hold to a number of unethical practices and that other Public Relations professionals do not share in the large majority of those practices.
Recommended Citation
Walsh, William M., "Ethical pharmaceuticals? a deeper look at the ethics in pharmaceutical public relations" (2006). Theses and Dissertations. 948.
https://rdw.rowan.edu/etd/948
