Healthy Skepticism Library item: 12387

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

Macias W, Pashupati K, Lewis LS.
A wonderful life or diarrhea and dry mouth? Policy issues of direct-to-consumer drug advertising on television
BMC Med Educ. 2007 Oct 12; 7:(36):
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17967146

Abstract:

Over $4 billion is being spent on direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) of prescription drugs. Although the greatest proportion of this media budget is spent on television, relatively few studies have investigated the key issues of DTCA on television (DTCA-TV), including fair balance, FDA regulations and if information or appeals is focused on more. This study found that emotional and rational appeals were used to a similar degree in DTCA-TV. Print tends to be more informative than TV. After developing a four-tiered classification scheme (lawbreakers, bare minimums, DTC main pack/peloton and proactives), this study found that DTCA-TV ads are not doing a good job of meeting the FDA’s fair balance requirement, particularly in presenting risk information in a comprehensible manner. Today’s new active healthcare consumers often want to learn what issues are important to consider when investigating drugs and how to evaluate alternative courses of treatment. Given the proportion of money spent on television, the medical industry is correct to be concerned that education does not appear more important to DTCA advertisers.

Keywords:
Advertising as Topic/economics Advertising as Topic/standards Advertising as Topic/trends* Drug Industry/economics Drug Industry/standards* Drug Industry/trends Guideline Adherence Humans Marketing of Health Services/economics Marketing of Health Services/methods* Marketing of Health Services/standards Prescriptions, Drug/economics* Prescriptions, Drug/standards Television/economics Television/standards Television/statistics & numerical data United States United States Food and Drug Administration