Healthy Skepticism Library item: 10318

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

Guthrie P.
US Congress to consider limits on DTCA.
CMAJ 2007 May 8; 176:(10):1404
http://www.cmaj.ca/cgi/content/full/176/10/1404

Abstract:

Direct-to-consumer advertising debated in the United States and European Union

As Canada assesses the legality of direct-to-consumer drug advertising in the courts (CMAJ 2007;176:19-20), the United States Congress is about to consider limits, and activists in the European Union are poised to oppose an anticipated move toward allowing consumer drug advertising.

Americans probably know more about the symptoms and sensations of physical and mental illnesses than any other people on the planet.

Why? Because, for 10 years they’ve been inundated with commercials for seemingly every known disease and disorder from allergies to erectile dysfunction, infected toenails, insomnia, social anxiety and restless leg syndrome. The relentless pharmaceutical pitches, better known as direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) are everywhere: sides of buses, walls of subway stations, on TV, magazines, newspapers, even plastered on restroom walls and printed on the cardboard sleeves of to-go coffee cups. Only the United States and New Zealand currently allow such advertising; NZ has considered a ban and the US will be debating new limits…

Keywords:
Publication Types: News MeSH Terms: Advertising/legislation & jurisprudence* Drug Industry/legislation & jurisprudence* Federal Government Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice Humans Legislation, Drug* United States United States Food and Drug Administration

Notes:

Free full text