For indispensable reporting on the coronavirus crisis, the election, and more, subscribe to the Mother Jones Daily newsletter.
PR materials for America’s drug manufacturers are replete with assertions such as “U.S. companies spend much more on R&D than on promotion.” But the math doesn’t hold water: A study released earlier this year by a pair of Canadian researchers found that in the US alone, the industry’s research budget of $31.5 billion (which includes billions in public funding) pales in comparison to the $57.5 billion spent on promotions. In 2004, the industry employed more than 100,000 sales reps, or roughly 1 for every 7 doctors; the companies spent an average of $61,000 per doctor.
