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What Underwrites the Phenomenon of Illness Marketing
Illness marketing (as distinct from health promotion) has been evolving for just over 100 years, and it has been a relentless process driven by greed and its co-conspirators, power and money. It has its original roots from within wealthy banking and money-changing families who for centuries, met secretly as an influential group, to devise ways…
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Perseverance pays off
The popular Academy Award nominated movie “Darkest Hour” has brought a lot of attention to former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill recently. It’s also brought a lot of attention to Gary Oldman, who won the Best Actor Oscar for his portrayal of Churchill. According to biographers, Churchill did not have the happiest of childhoods. Neglected…
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Medical Fascism – The Plan to ban Even Discussion of Alternative Treatments
In Australia, an effort to label all alternative (traditional, complementary) medicine products as “based on pseudoscience” has failed. Traditional remedies (much older than mainstream medicines) are defended as appropriate, and can include health claims. The Crazz Files, a major defender of health freedom in Australia, reports: “In a major win, the Federal Government has ignored…
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Can I complain?
Ever been subjected to a formal complaint? Ever had one of those notices from AHPRA setting out the details of a complaint, allowing you a few weeks to respond, and then to sweat for months waiting for an outcome? There has to be system I agree, whereby a legitimate error has occurred, whereby a patient…
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Street Smarts put you in the fast lane
I’m back with another installment of street smarts, those skills that go beyond what is taught in school – the lessons we learn by experience and practice. Never underestimate the value and importance of “extracurricular” education. First idea: Don’t be afraid to make a decision. Be afraid NOT to make…
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Marketing Focus – 1. CORRECTION 2. CHANNELLED MESSAGING 3. MONEY-BACK IS NO GUARANTEE 4. IF ONLY I KNEW … TO NEVER SAY NO TO NEW 5. THE DEATH OF SHOPPING CENTRES
1. CORRECTION. It is a defining term. The two major corrections in share markets around the world in the first 9 days of February were timely reminders that a haemostatic process is innate and applicable to many aspects of commerce, society, politics, life and ecology. Correction does not equate to, or imply that there is…
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Social Justice Programs – An Opportunity for a Patient Engagement and Health Literacy Expansion
Now that Location Rules have been made more certain through enabling legislation, it provides a level of certainty in respect of investing in services which would provide a community benefit, that in turn, could eventually be funded through government along the already familiar experience of a public/private partnership. i2P has previously expressed the opinion that…
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The Fear of Success
This is an idea that gained traction in the so-called New Age movement: people weren’t succeeding in life because, secretly, they were afraid of succeeding. The idea was hailed as a major breakthrough in understanding human psychology. Pundits presented the insight with a aura of smarmy, smug, self-satisfaction: “Of course, I’m beyond the fear, but…
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Pharmacy Professional Services – the Willingness to Pay
A recent study published by ScienceDirect discusses values of pharmacy professional services and the willingness to pay by consumers. The study was based on literature reports that specifically noted a willingness to pay a community pharmacist and had value established using the method described as Contingent Valuation Method (CVM). Some analysts have used the study…
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Look for these traits in successful team players
It was a cold winter. The hedgehogs, realizing the situation, decided to bunch together to keep warm. However, the quills from each hedgehog pierced their next-door neighbors, so they decided to move apart. But then they started to freeze and die alone, so they made the decision to cuddle back together and live with the…