Maintaining a drug on the market will necessitate greater efforts by the industry. We have tended to regard the discovery of unexpected adverse drug effects as a matter of bad luck. This is not true. Rather, it is the result of careful vigilance and systematic study. Similarly, the discovery of the true benefits of a drug will also require creative research and a more thorough understanding of the meaning of the products we produce.

This is the second of three articles on the Culture of Drug Safety. In the final installment, we will focus on how risk and benefit communications will need to be researched, framed, integrated, and monitored in both safety and marketing communications. The first article, "Culture Shock," appeared in our July 2007 issue.

Louis A. Morris is president of Louis A. Morris & Associates. He provides consulting and research services to pharmaceutical and communications companies and has authored more than 100 articles and book chapters on health and risk communications. He can be reached at lmorris@optonline.net
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