|
|
Article: Beyond Sugarcoating; New Colors, Shapes and Names Are Cures for the Common Pill
- Article from:
- The Washington Post
- Article date:
- November 11, 1998
- Author:
CopyrightThis material is published under license from the Washington Post. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Washington Post. (Hide copyright information)
|
Where once there were white pills, now there are peacock blues,
pastel pinks, ocher yellows and translucent ambers. They come in a
smorgasbord of shapes as well -- hearts, hexagons, triangles and
neat bow ties.
And the pills in the medicine cabinet aren't called just
anything. At great cost, they are given names meant to conjure up
just the right thoughts and feelings: Viagra, the pill to combat
impotence, has a name combining vigor and the force of Niagara
Falls.
A quiet change is occurring in the pharmaceutical industry. As it
becomes more competitive and consumer-oriented, as it spends
millions on ads encouraging patients to demand prescription drugs by
name, firms are paying ...