This was set up in Oxford a few years ago headed by Dr David Sackett. Sackett points out that in a survey of general medical journals, there are about 250-300 articles on therapy published per month but only about 10 of these are worth reading. You may find this a useful source of information when thinking about analysing the papers that you find in relation to your drug advertisement project. This journal can be found in the Clinical Sciences Library. You may be dismayed to be told that the answer is probably not very many.
Most patients get better anyway.
This is known as iatrogenic disease. It is, presumably, given a fancy Greek name as it seems doubtful public relations to talk about doctor-induced diseases but that is what the term actually means in Greek. Of course, some patients will get better or at least have their condition brought under control if appropriate action is taken. The main decision the doctor has to take when consulted by a patient is not whether or not the patient is ill - the patient decides that in coming to see you. It is, therefore, essential not to use powerful drugs for trivial conditions or to use drugs inappropriately.