Healthy Skepticism Library item: 1106

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: news

Gilles G.
Study: Prescription Drug Ads Promote Patient-Doctor Communication
Yale New Haven Health System 2003 May 3

Full text:

If you’ve seen a commercial about a prescription drug on television and asked your doctor about it, you’re not alone. A new survey found that more than one third of its respondents talked to their doctor about a new medication after watching a television commercial for the medication.

Researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard University surveyed 3,000 adults between July 2001 and January 2002. They found that among those who went to their doctor after viewing a drug commercial, almost 25 percent received a new diagnosis. Half of those were diagnosed with such high-priority conditions as arthritis, high cholesterol, and diabetes. Nearly 75 percent of the people who went to the doctor received a new prescription that they say improved their condition.

In addition, doctors were able to recommend such beneficial lifestyle changes as a healthy diet and regular exercise for more than half of the people in the survey, especially for those with high-priority conditions.

Do Expensive Drug Ads Boost the Cost of Prescriptions?

Drug advertising is a primary source of health information for consumers, according to the study’s authors. Pharmaceutical companies have spent an increasing amount of money on consumer drug advertising in recent years. According to the National Center for Policy Analysis, direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertising of prescription drugs increased from $55 million in 1991 to $1.8 billion in 1999.

Although some health policy experts believe DTC advertising drives up drug prices, most see that the increased demand from ads leads to more competitive pricing. The study’s researchers also found that the advertisements made people aware of new treatments about which they may not otherwise learn.

Drug Ads Are Regulated for Content and Accuracy

To make sure that the commercials for prescription drugs are accurate and responsible, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires that pharmaceutical companies adhere to the following guidelines regarding information about the product:

• The information about the prescription must not be false or misleading. The commercial must mention that the advertised product is only available by prescription and that only a doctor or other healthcare professional can decide whether the product is appropriate for a person.

• The commercial must strike a fair balance between the drug’s benefits and its potential risk.

• The ad must inform consumers about the product’s most important risk in clear language that’s easy to understand.

• The commercial must warn that some people with certain conditions may not benefit from the prescription medication.

How Should I Talk to My Doctor About Drug Ads I See on Television?

You may learn more about a prescription drug after seeing a commercial on television and want to talk to your doctor about it. Before you talk to your doctor, think about what you’d like to ask him or her about the drug and how it might help your condition. Consider the following questions:

1. Do you think you might have a condition that the medication can treat-or has your doctor told you that you have this condition?

2. Have you talked to your doctor before about this condition?

3. Are you currently taking medication for this condition?

4. If so, is your current medication effective?

5. If not, why not? Is it because of continued symptoms, side effects, or other concerns?

6. Why do you want to switch to (or start using) a new medication? For example, was the ad convincing? Did someone you love recommend the medication? Do you believe this new medication is the most recent and effective treatment for your condition?

Answering these questions can help you figure out why you want to use the medication and help prepare you for a conversation with your physician.

Learn More About Prescription Drugs

• Read this article from VHA’s Health Information to learn more about managing your prescription and over-the-counter medications.

• Learn which questions to ask your doctor about a newly prescribed medication from this article from the United States Pharmacopeial Convention.

References

1. “Survey: Direct-to-Consumer Drug Advertising Results in More Physician Discussions, New Diagnoses, Recommendations,” Health Affairs, Feb. 26, 2003.

2. “Attitudes and Behaviors Associated with Direct-to-Consumer Promotion of Prescription Drugs,” FDA, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER), April 11, 2002.

3. “Does Direct-to-Consumer Advertising of Prescription Drugs Benefit the Public’s Health?” American Council on Science and Health, 1999. (http://www.acsh.org/publications/priorities/1104/point_yes.html)

4. “Guidance for Industry: Consumer-Directed Broadcast Advertisements,” CDER, March 8, 2001.

5. “Direct-to-Consumer Drug Advertising,” Drug Policy Digest, National Center for Policy Analysis, Aug. 30, 2001.

6. “FDA Releases Preliminary Results of Physician Survey on Direct-to-Consumer Prescription Advertisements,” FDA, Jan. 13, 2003.