Healthy Skepticism Library item: 1235

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

Calfee JE.
What do we know about direct-to-consumer advertising of prescription drugs?
Health Aff (Millwood) 2003 Jan-Jun; Suppl:
http://content.healthaffairs.org/cgi/reprint/hlthaff.w3.116v1

Abstract:

Two papers, by Joel Weissman and colleagues and by Robert Dubois, add to our limited knowledge of the effects of direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertising of prescription drugs. Their results reinforce the largely positive findings from consumer surveys, while adding valuable new data and insights. These suggest that DTC ads probably improve patients’ health outcomes and do not tend to lead to inappropriate prescribing. DTC advertising is emerging as a positive force in health care markets, consistent with what is known about the effects of advertising in many other markets.

Keywords:
Advertising* Drug Industry* Drug Utilization Evaluation Studies Health Care Surveys Humans Patient Participation* Physician's Practice Patterns Physician-Patient Relations United States