Unethical Practices Taint Some Healthcare Marketing

When a doctor writes a prescription, most of us assume we’ll walk out of the pharmacy with the drug best suited for the diagnosis. But what if the doctor chose a new drug based on a big marketing push by the manufacturer? Or maybe it’s the other way around: Patients often request a particular brand-name drug after seeing hundreds of television ads with actors or well-known celebrities vouching for its effectiveness.

So far in 2018, pharmaceutical companies have shelled out $2.8 billion to run direct-to-consumer television ads touting the benefits of around 70 prescription drugs. Between 2012 and 2016, the number of television ads for medications grew 65 percent as companies increasingly target the exploding and lucrative baby boomer market.

The drug companies are not alone in playing the healthcare advertising sweepstakes. Hospitals are spending more than ever on advertising and, as with other products, that advertising is filled with lots of promises, says Tim Calkins, a professor of marketing at Northwestern University. “So a hospital can go out and say, ‘This is where miracles happen. And here’s Joe. Joe was about to die. And now Joe is going to live forever.’ ”

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Every Person, Regardless of Age, Susceptible to Unintentional Falls

Every year millions of Americans suffer from a preventable fall injury, and over 800,000 of those will end up in the emergency room with a fracture or head injury. According to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, falls are the most common cause of nonfatal unintentional injuries and are responsible for slightly more than three in 10 injuries overall. Deaths because of a fall have also skyrocketed since 2000, from 13,322 to 34,673. Half of all accidental deaths in the home are caused by a fall.
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As U.S. Population Ages, Reports of Nursing Home Abuse Also on the Rise

Protect the elderly in your life by learning the signs of elder abuse.

National data on cases of abuse in America’s 15,600-plus nursing homes and other elder-care programs is hard to come by. But several recent studies by government investigators, advocacy groups and the news media have chilling implications.

According to the National Ombudsman Reporting System (NORS), 14,258 (7.6 percent) of approximately 188,599 complaints reported to state ombudsman programs in 2014 involved abuse, gross neglect or exploitation. Another study of nursing home staff throughout the country found that 36 percent had witnessed at least one incident of physical abuse of an elderly patient in the previous year, 10 percent committed at least one act of physical abuse and 40 percent admitted to committing psychological abuse. It gets worse: A CNN special investigation in February of 2017 found that the federal government cited more than 1,000 nursing homes for mishandling or failing to prevent alleged cases of sexual assault and abuse from 2013 to 2016.

Given that 1.4 million aging adults already live in nursing homes and that the number of Americans 65-plus will double between 2010 to 2050, this issue will only become more pressing.

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Courts Wrestle with Damages When Pets Are Injured

Furry, scaly or feathered companions are nearly a given in most American homes. It is estimated that 68 percent of all American households own pets, and in 2017 these households spent over $69 billion on food, vet care and more for their beloved beasts. Clearly an injury to a pet can be traumatic and expensive for owners, especially if it was caused by the negligence of another party. Consider these legal options.

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Civil Litigation Could Help End Modern-Day Slavery

Human trafficking is a form of modern-day slavery in which traffickers use force, fraud or coercion to control victims for the purpose of commercial exploitation. This can encompass sexual exploitation, indentured servitude, forced labor, forced marriage or even organ harvesting. Human trafficking is a silent and insidious industry that affects an estimated 45 million people worldwide, including an estimated 57,700 right here in the United States.

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Observe Workers’ Memorial Day

The best way to ease the pain and suffering caused by workplace injuries is to prevent them in the first place. Every year on April 28, we recognize Workers’ Memorial Day. This international day of remembrance honors workers who have been “killed, disabled, injured or made unwell by their work.”

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Forced Arbitration Hurts Those Who Are Already Victims

Forced arbitration clauses, which are now used in a wide range of companies, prevent a wronged party from bringing a case to court and are now found in over 55 percent of employment contracts. Instead, the dispute must be settled in secret arbitrations, usually by an arbitrator chosen by the defendant. In cases of sexual assault or harassment, these forced arbitration clauses can prevent harassers from receiving public or legal consequences, opening the door for serial and long-term harassment.

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