Healthy Skepticism Library item: 27

Warning: This library includes all items relevant to health product marketing that we are aware of regardless of quality. Often we do not agree with all or part of the contents.

Publication type: Journal Article

Mintzes B, Barer ML, Kravitz RL, Kazanjian A, Bassett K, Lexchin J, et al.
Influence of direct to consumer pharmaceutical advertising and patients' requests on prescribing decisions: two site cross sectional survey
BMJ 2002; 324:278-279
http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/cgi/content/full/324/7332/278

Abstract:

This study examined the relation between direct to consumer advertising and patients’ requests for prescriptions and the relation between patients’ requests and prescribing decisions. Physicians were ambivalent about the choice of treatment in half the cases when patients had requestede advertised drugs compared with 12% for drugs not requested by patients.

Keywords:
*analytic survey Canada United States DTCA direct-to-consumer advertising doctor-patient relationship attitude toward promotion quality of information quality of prescribing ATTITUDES REGARDING PROMOTION: CONSUMERS PATIENTS INFLUENCE OF PROMOTION: CONSUMERS AND PATIENTS INFLUENCE OF PROMOTION: DOCTOR-PATIENT RELATIONSHIP INFLUENCE OF PROMOTION: PRESCRIBING, DRUG USE PROMOTION AS A SOURCE OF INFORMATION: CONSUMERS AND PATIENTS

Notes:

Methodology note: Actual prescribing practices of physicians were not measured. There is the possibility of a social acceptability bias. Patients and physicians were surveyed in one city in Canada and the United States and the results may not be generalizable.
Part of a larger study: Mintzes et al. An assessment of the health system impact of direct-to-consumer advertising of prescription medicines (DTCA). Volume III: patient information on medicines. Comparative patient/doctor survey in Vancouver and Sacramento
ProCite field⁵: Analytic survey
ProCite field³⁸: http://bmj.com/cgi/reprint/324/7332/278