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Useless products and services that generate billions of dollars
5 examples of marketing hype
Scientists have once again proven that homeopathy does not work. This time, they analyzed 176 cases of treatment and found that in each of them took place only a placebo effect. Despite this, the homeopathy industry is booming. So, in 2015, sales of homeopathic remedies must have reached $ 115 billion.
And it's not the only example of a multi-billion dollar industry, promoting products with unproven efficacy. "The Secret" tells, in what other areas of sales are growing, despite the skepticism of scientists.
Medications
"The efficiency of about 90% of drugs that are sold in the world, has not been proved by modern standards, 70% of them do not possess even as a significant efficiency," - says the professor of the Moscow Medical Academy named after Sechenov Academy of Medical Sciences Pavel Vorobiev. The number of absolutely useless medicines in the Russian market it is estimated at 30%. But medications whose effectiveness is in doubt, do not cease to be sold.
For example, the popular drug "Essentiale" for the prevention and treatment of liver disease has become a leader in sales in December 2015, with the Formulary Committee of RAMS called its effectiveness unproven. In the case of alcoholism and he does useless. Back in 2003, clinical trials have shown that the effect of the reception of the main active ingredient - essential phospholipids - is comparable to the placebo effect. Doubtful medicine also called "Arbidol" - it refused to register in the American administration to control the quality of medicines and products. Vorobyov argues that the evidence of its effectiveness exists. Nevertheless, "Arbidol" occupies the second place in popularity among the antivirals (fell by 22% in 2015, sales of "Arbidol", but the manufacturer "Otisifarm" explains this lack of viral respiratory diseases of the season and increased competition).
Doctors, and most importantly, consumers have become accustomed to certain goods, especially if they continue to advertise. Pharmaceutical companies spend huge amounts of money on promotion of the goods, hoping to compensate for the cost of their development. Losses of pharmaceutical companies in the derivation of all the sales of ineffective drugs to hundreds of billions (Russian pharma market volume amounted to 1, 3 trillion rubles in 2015).
Diets
On many diets earn - the personal consultant to corporations. Revenues Weight Watchers, helping to buy slimming products and tools in 2015 was $ 1, 16 billion. Weight Watchers, like many other players in the market, offers its own unique program. Consumers are spending money that one, then to another new diet, hoping that this too will help them accurately. But even in 2007 American researchers have shown that the differences in efficiency between different types of diets are insignificant. However, the new weight loss recipes appear every year.
Organic products
Inscriptions "Without pesticides," "no artificial additives" and the like - a great marketing ploy. In 2015, the organic food market volume amounted to $ 72 million, and over the next five years, it should grow by 16% annually. However, evidence that organic foods are healthier, yet. Scientists from Stanford University studied more than 200 studies in this area and concluded that the state of health of those who eat organic products and conventional, no serious differences.
Despite this, the army of fans of natural is not reduced. They claim that organic food tastes better than usual. But British researchers from Abertay University denied this assertion. They suggested people try to identical products, saying that some of them - organic. The subjects admitted that organic food tastes better it seemed. Study author Dr. Boyko Bratanova summarized that this great news for the producers of organic products, the fashion for which is growing regardless of the research.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture massage (acupuncture) remains one of the most popular forms of alternative medicine. In this new study, demonstrating the ineffectiveness of the procedures every year. Rate Income clinics and individual experts on acupuncture is difficult, but it is millions of dollars a year (the global market for alternative medicine volume exceeds $ 30 billion). Change in trend is not expected - there are even books that teach how to make a acupuncture
. Sunscreens
Environmental organization Environmental Working Group (EWG) conducted a study of American sunscreens and found that 80% of them are ineffective or even harmful.
"Many products do not provide sufficient protection against UVA-rays. Some contain hazardous chemicals such as oxybenzone or retinyl palmitate, "- said a senior researcher at the EWG Dave Andrews. The expert stresses that oxybenzone can damage the hormone system, and retinyl palmitate - cause a variety of damage until the cancer
. In the black list includes such brands as Banana Boat, Coppertone, CVS, Neutrogena. However, their manufacturers are unlikely to face a drop in sales - all of them have got the list of the past and are still the market leaders, both American and international. The EWG believes that the standards of the Office for quality control of food products and medicines are too low, so inefficient products are marketed. Consumers also do not listen to the results of alternative research and take a familiar product from the shelf.
Author: Victoria Charochkina
Scientists have once again proven that homeopathy does not work. This time, they analyzed 176 cases of treatment and found that in each of them took place only a placebo effect. Despite this, the homeopathy industry is booming. So, in 2015, sales of homeopathic remedies must have reached $ 115 billion.
And it's not the only example of a multi-billion dollar industry, promoting products with unproven efficacy. "The Secret" tells, in what other areas of sales are growing, despite the skepticism of scientists.
Medications
"The efficiency of about 90% of drugs that are sold in the world, has not been proved by modern standards, 70% of them do not possess even as a significant efficiency," - says the professor of the Moscow Medical Academy named after Sechenov Academy of Medical Sciences Pavel Vorobiev. The number of absolutely useless medicines in the Russian market it is estimated at 30%. But medications whose effectiveness is in doubt, do not cease to be sold.
For example, the popular drug "Essentiale" for the prevention and treatment of liver disease has become a leader in sales in December 2015, with the Formulary Committee of RAMS called its effectiveness unproven. In the case of alcoholism and he does useless. Back in 2003, clinical trials have shown that the effect of the reception of the main active ingredient - essential phospholipids - is comparable to the placebo effect. Doubtful medicine also called "Arbidol" - it refused to register in the American administration to control the quality of medicines and products. Vorobyov argues that the evidence of its effectiveness exists. Nevertheless, "Arbidol" occupies the second place in popularity among the antivirals (fell by 22% in 2015, sales of "Arbidol", but the manufacturer "Otisifarm" explains this lack of viral respiratory diseases of the season and increased competition).
Doctors, and most importantly, consumers have become accustomed to certain goods, especially if they continue to advertise. Pharmaceutical companies spend huge amounts of money on promotion of the goods, hoping to compensate for the cost of their development. Losses of pharmaceutical companies in the derivation of all the sales of ineffective drugs to hundreds of billions (Russian pharma market volume amounted to 1, 3 trillion rubles in 2015).
Diets
On many diets earn - the personal consultant to corporations. Revenues Weight Watchers, helping to buy slimming products and tools in 2015 was $ 1, 16 billion. Weight Watchers, like many other players in the market, offers its own unique program. Consumers are spending money that one, then to another new diet, hoping that this too will help them accurately. But even in 2007 American researchers have shown that the differences in efficiency between different types of diets are insignificant. However, the new weight loss recipes appear every year.
Organic products
Inscriptions "Without pesticides," "no artificial additives" and the like - a great marketing ploy. In 2015, the organic food market volume amounted to $ 72 million, and over the next five years, it should grow by 16% annually. However, evidence that organic foods are healthier, yet. Scientists from Stanford University studied more than 200 studies in this area and concluded that the state of health of those who eat organic products and conventional, no serious differences.
Despite this, the army of fans of natural is not reduced. They claim that organic food tastes better than usual. But British researchers from Abertay University denied this assertion. They suggested people try to identical products, saying that some of them - organic. The subjects admitted that organic food tastes better it seemed. Study author Dr. Boyko Bratanova summarized that this great news for the producers of organic products, the fashion for which is growing regardless of the research.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture massage (acupuncture) remains one of the most popular forms of alternative medicine. In this new study, demonstrating the ineffectiveness of the procedures every year. Rate Income clinics and individual experts on acupuncture is difficult, but it is millions of dollars a year (the global market for alternative medicine volume exceeds $ 30 billion). Change in trend is not expected - there are even books that teach how to make a acupuncture
. Sunscreens
Environmental organization Environmental Working Group (EWG) conducted a study of American sunscreens and found that 80% of them are ineffective or even harmful.
"Many products do not provide sufficient protection against UVA-rays. Some contain hazardous chemicals such as oxybenzone or retinyl palmitate, "- said a senior researcher at the EWG Dave Andrews. The expert stresses that oxybenzone can damage the hormone system, and retinyl palmitate - cause a variety of damage until the cancer
. In the black list includes such brands as Banana Boat, Coppertone, CVS, Neutrogena. However, their manufacturers are unlikely to face a drop in sales - all of them have got the list of the past and are still the market leaders, both American and international. The EWG believes that the standards of the Office for quality control of food products and medicines are too low, so inefficient products are marketed. Consumers also do not listen to the results of alternative research and take a familiar product from the shelf.
Author: Victoria Charochkina
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