“Pharmaceutical giants increase advertising budgets: why does this harm Ukrainians?Drug manufacturers are increasing advertising budgets, which leads to self-medication and a decline in health culture. In the
first quarter of 2025, UAH 1.2 billion was spent on TV advertising of pharmaceutical products, which affects the price for
consumers.
”, — write: unn.ua
According to the results of the first quarter of 2025, the total budget for pharmaceutical product advertising on television reached UAH 1.2 billion. At the same time, according to “Ocean Media Plus” sales house data, published by the specialized pharmaceutical publication “Apteka.ua”, pharmaceutical giants invest the most money in advertising drugs for the respiratory system and improving digestion.
However, it is precisely the advertising of medicinal products that creates the problem of self-medication and a decline in the culture of one’s own health among Ukrainians – this opinion was expressed in a comment to UNN by doctor Ivan Chernenko. He noted that, for example, advertising of drugs for improving digestion causes unhealthy eating behavior in Ukrainians, and instills in their minds the idea that one can overeat and then take a drug that will “start” digestion.
I’m really annoyed by drug advertisements that show someone has overeaten, and then they urge you to take some drug and your stomach will feel better. Usually, these are enzymes for the pancreas or prokinetics (stimulate gastrointestinal motility – ed.). But the point is not to gorge yourself, I apologize, and take a magic pill. We need to communicate to people that maybe it’s not worth eating so much. Maybe the person has some disorders, or maybe the person has some serious stomach problems and that’s why they have digestion problems?
But the formation of an inadequate attitude of Ukrainians towards their own health by pharmaceutical factories does not end there. After all, such advertising also encourages people to self-medicate, which does not end with one pill taken after overeating.
When a person actually experiences some digestive symptoms, which in fact may be the first signs to see a doctor, through bright advertising they may interpret this as something that can be solved with one pill.
And such an approach is fundamentally wrong and often leads to serious problems. Which, without the biased attitude of Ukrainians towards their own health, due to excessive drug advertising, could be solved easily and quickly in the early stages. However, due to self-medication, health problems, like a snowball, grow to global proportions that cannot be eliminated with light therapy.
It is also important that the UAH 1.2 billion spent on drug advertising on television in just the first 4 months of 2025 falls on the shoulders of Ukrainians themselves. After all, pharmaceutical manufacturers include in the cost of the drug not only the cost of raw materials and formula development, but also huge budgets: TV advertising, creating a “medical” legend around the brand, marketing campaigns on social networks, and developing bright packaging. So, in the end, the patient pays not only for the drug, but also for the television picture, slogans, and branded “wrapper.”
Obviously, the excessive volume of drug advertising is a global problem that harms the health of our citizens. The airwaves overloaded with aggressive messages about “quick relief” force people to treat symptoms instead of causes, and self-medication under the influence of advertising often leads to complications.