Rollins B, Perri M.: Pharmaceutical Marketing
Rollins B, Perri M. Pharmaceutical Marketing. Jones & Bartlett Learning; 2013, 282 pp, $69.95 (softcover), ISBN 9781449697990. Pharmaceutical Marketing serves as an eventual answer to the long-lasting dearth in pharmacy-specific pharmaceutical marketing texts. This book has made a remarkable step toward the understanding of pharmaceutical marketing and its practical applications in the industry. Several authors from different disciplines and backgrounds, including academia, industry, and health care contributed to writing this book. Pharmaceutical Marketing would make a great addition for different types of readers interested in getting acquainted with the field of pharmaceutical marketing. This text succeeds in explaining not only the theoretical principles of pharmaceutical marketing that are crucial to know, but also in presenting it to the reader in a way that pertains to the current actual practice of marketing of pharmaceutical products. As a result, combining theoretical knowledge with examples from actual practice enables beginning learners in the pharmaceutical marketing field, such as students, to easily comprehend different details as they relate to both clinical and industrial practice. Moreover, the authors provide a quick yet sufficient introduction about different topics the reader needs to be aware of before going through the bulk of relevant details. After establishing many colleges and schools of pharmacy across the United States in order to solve the pharmacist shortage in the last few decades, now there are fears of lack of decent employment opportunities for future pharmacy graduates in some states across the country. Thus, pharmacy students may have to rethink future career opportunities and consider other fields such as pharmaceutical marketing, health systems consultation, and other positions in the industry, or public health services rather than focusing on hospital or community pharmacy-associated jobs. This book serves as a useful reference to improve pharmacists' and pharmacy students' knowledge and expertise in matters related to the industry, regulatory and medical affairs, and pharmaceutical marketing-related fields. Pharmaceutical marketing courses have been offered in the curricula of many US colleges and schools of pharmacy as either a required or elective course. (1) Considering the multiplicity of topics and the comprehensiveness of chapters in Pharmaceutical Marketing, it would make an excellent textbook choice for students in pharmacy programs and those seeking dual-degree programs (eg, doctor of pharmacy/master of business administration). Additionally, this textbook focuses on the industrial side of pharmaceutical marketing in a way that pertains to many different disciplines, not only to pharmaceutical marketing specialists. That being said, this book might make a valuable textbook or main reference not only for pharmacy students, but also for students who might not have a solid background in pharmacy-related issues such as those students interested in studying and researching health care-related marketing from business programs. This 282-page textbook covers the aspects of the pharmaceutical marketing field that interested readers need to be aware of most. Every chapter is followed by a quick summary and several discussion questions that can be useful in generating dialogues and discussions in academic settings. The widespread use of tables and figures is prevalent in most chapters, which helps for better understanding and comprehension of the core themes discussed. The real-world "Case in Point" examples are another useful tool. Spread across all 12 chapters, these boxes provide recent information about different industrial--and marketing-related matters pertaining to the topic discussed by exhibiting cases from real-world practice. Having such pieces of information raises reader awareness of recent events taking place in the marketplace. …