Merck’s ‘3 Is Key’ Campaign Goes Viral
The drugmaker is urging docs to distribute a spiffy new brochure after administering the HPV vaccine in hopes teens and women will return for their second and third shots. However, the brochure, which is part of Merck’s ‘3 Is Key’ campaign, is worded in such a way that the drugmaker may wind up collecting personal info from teens that could be used for market research.
We’ve included a link to the brochure, so you can judge for yourself. Here’s what we see: the brochure asks for personal data – name, address, birth date and e-mail addess – as well as a signature, but doesn’t stipulate that a parent or legal guardian must sign, instead of the teen. There’s also a line indicating the personal data will be used for ‘market research purposes.’
As one mom, who asked not to be named, pointed out, the brochure is worded in such a way that a teenager reviewing the form may unwittingly provide Merck with personal info that can be used for market research. Of course, this assumes a doctor’s staffer handed the form to the teen, not the parent, or the parent gave the form to the teen, perhaps unaware of the entire content.
A Merck spokeswoman was unable to say why the signature requirement is open-ended (the language says: ‘If you are unable to sign, a legal representative, or parent – if you are a minor – may sign on your behalf.’) She also says the market research has an opt-out provision and is only going to be used to determine whether regular mail, e-mail or texting is the best way to issue reminders. But that’s not clear – the wording says ‘market research purposes,’ suggesting broader use may occur.
One ethics expert questioned the approach. “Compliance is a huge problem and should be pushed on all fronts,” says Art Caplan, who heads the Center for BioEthics at the University of Pennsylvania. “But reminders should never be used for market research. If a minor were to see that, I don’t think they’d understand what it means. It’s not the right place to do it.”
