In today’s day and age, personal appearance is a big trend that is a major influence on the pharmaceutical and biotechnical industry. Beauty and youth seem to be the area in which consumer behavior shows the most interest. In response to this interest shown, pharmaceutical companies are providing products that help to enhance one’s beauty and make them appear more youthful than they really are. People want to look and feel better about themselves and many people have been turning to botox as a solution. With media playing such a large role in our lives through magazines, television, and the Internet, our society has managed to convince the world that young and beautiful is the “IT” factor that can not be lived without. Because of this, millions of people are willing to invest thousands of dollars in plastic surgery and medical enhancers such as botox.
Botox is one of the most popular products in the pharmaceutical industry. Botox is a product mainly targeted toward an older audience of 40 years and older but young people still use it too. Depending on where one receives botox and how much is necessary, the price can range anywhere from $200 to $900. Many consumers are seeking to look like the models and actors that they see in the media, and because of this, companies such as Allergan are benefiting from it. According to CNN, just this year Allergan’s “net sales increased by 13.3%, to roughly $1.3 billion, in the first quarter of 2011 compared with the same period last year.” Numbers and percentages as high as these is the main indicator that consumers are showing a great interest in this product. As if botox wasn’t already unique, popular, and useful enough, it has just became more so. Researchers have found multiple medical uses for the product other than just to enhance people’s appearance. Tests have been conducted that show botox may help relieve migraines and can possibly be used a treatment for overactive bladders. Not only was botox successful alone for enhancing one’s appearance, but also now Allergan will probably be seeing an increase in revenue due to the newly discovered uses for this single product. Many people are fans of botox and because of this, if botox is recommended to them to treat things such as a migraine or overactive bladder they will try it.
I don’t think that botox is a product that will ever get old. And for whatever reason people choose to buy and use the product botox, it remains to be a hot commodity in the pharmaceutical industry. It is clear that most consumers are looking to be beautiful and young, and what easier way is there to do so other than botox? Because botox is so commonly used, people tend to view getting botox as the norm which means it has become commonly accepted within society and will remain to be popular for years to come.
~ Zenas Wilson
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Botox would not be considered a necessary drug so that makes me wonder what the increase in sales means with regards to the economic condition. Is Botox something that people are viewing as more and more of a need, has the pharmaceutical industry (even the non necessity section) already recovered, or has the demand for Botox just grown so much that even the economic downturn hasn't slowed sales?
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