Changing Minds

A simple question helped turn P-P-I heartburn medicines into blockbuster drugs. And into some of the most over prescribed medicines in America. When Prilosec first hit the market, doctors considered it too potent and prescribed alternatives. Marketers working to increase Prilosec sales hit on a simple idea. They discovered that most doctors asked the same question: “Is you heartburn better?” Most patients answered, “Yes.” And there was no need for anything stronger. They got doctors to flip the question to: “Do you still have heartburn?” Most patients still answered, “Yes.” But the question changed everything. The goal was no longer “getting better,” but having “zero heartburn.” And overnight, Prilosec became a blockbuster drug.