Tuesday, August 14, 2007

VERY LATE POSTING

Not sure if this is where I am supposed to post this assignment thing but I can't figure out how to post it on wiki so here goes...

Rohana Macauley 11333423
Assignment Posting 1
CSUPharma


ENVIRONMENTAL SCAN

CSUPharma is a publicly listed company who, after two years trials and testing and three years previous clinical trial, is working with the media in the aim of healthy lifestyle for Australian citizen’s and residents.
Specifically, CSUPharma are undergoing launches in the aim of getting a new diabetes type two drug on the PBS (Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme).

Cases of type two diabetes have risen from four percent of the population to seven and a half percent since 1996 and Australian Medical Association statistics suggest “for every person diagnosed in the community there is a person who remains undiagnosed” (www.ama.com/diabetes/fac).
The majority of sufferers of diabetes (85 to 90%) have type two and 50% of women who are diagnosed with gestational diabetes go on to develop type two diabetes in their later years.

Research by Diabetes Australia has shown that the best treatment and prevention of type two diabetes (which is strongly linked to unhealthy lifestyle factors such as obesity) is to lead a healthy lifestyle, eating low GI foods and doing regular exercise.
However, more and more sufferers are needing further treatment that can only be reached through the aids of medications, and in some cases, through the aid of insulin, both of which can be very expensive.

CSUPharma , given the rising statistics of the disease and associated lifestyles (such as obesity) are attempting to market this new product to ensure that Australian citizen’s can easily access the new drug and reduce the rapidly rising statistics.



KEY ISSUES:
• Australia’s rising statistics of type two diabetes (almost doubling in approximately 10 years www.diabetesaustralia.gov.au)
• The increased reliance on medications and even insulin in order to correctly manage the disease, even though it was previously known as non-insulin diabetes.
• Difficulty in campaigning to gain entry to the PBS.
• Issues that are posed by our active publics; mainly Healthy Skepticism.
• Also, timing issues in light of the upcoming federal government election.

KEY PLAYERS:

• Australian consumer media
• Australian trade media (i.e. those within the health and pharmaceutical industry’s such as Healthy Skepticism, Australian Health Consumer, Australian Medicine).
• Specifically, members of Healthy Skepticism as they are such an active audience in this field.
• Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee ( as they will be the final decision makers)
• Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods.

FYI

Check out crikey.com interesting stuff!





Glossary

This is just because I tend to get bogged down in all the jargon! And also, some of the stuff that I have been hearing on internship which is actually relevant to this subject!

GLOSSARY:
DPMA: Durg and Pharmacuetical Manufacturers Association
AEM: Association of Ethical Manufacturers, which then went on to become;
APMA: Australian Pharmecutical Manufacturers Association
MA: Medicines Australia (which, prior to 2001 was APMA)
WTO: World Trade Organisation
PBS: Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme
PBAC: Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee
TGA: Therapeutic Goods Administration

Readings week 1

Introduction:
  • The handling of public opinion is ethical, knowledgeable & diplomatic.
  • Effective ways is the task of public affairs
  • subject is particularly concerned with how public affairs work has consequences for voters, political parties, governments and legislative change which affects the operations of the organisations we rely on.

Historical Introduction to Public Opinion:

LEE 1877 - 1934

  • Advised corporations how to deal properly with an upwelling of protests.

LIPPMANN 1922

  • Claims it is not possible to have a sufficient grasp on the workings of our society in order for us to make rational decisions about society on an individual basis.
  • Implies that it is inevitable that there must be reliance on ethical and competent institutions.

NOTES:

  • Implies and I agree that opinions of publics in which we work is too varied and different for people without specific training to have adequate understanding.
  • Therefore, the study of public opinion came about & professionals in the specified field began.
  • "They must be our proxies to make sense for us of the endless confusion of public affairs".

EDWARD BERNAY'S, "PROPAGANDA". 1928

  • "We are governed, our minds are moulded, our tastes formed, our ideas suggested, largely by men we have never heard of. This is a logical result of the way in which our democratic society is organised"
  • "Vast numbers of human beings must cooperate in this manner if they are to live together in a smoothly functioning society"

NOTES:

  • Not really sure what he means?
  • Is this mind control a good thing or a bad thing?
  • To what extent is he speaking on in terms of this mind control?
  • Does this make public affairs and, by asscoiation, public relations unethical practice?