Healthy Skepticism Library item: 13965

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

McArthur G.
Doctors falling for advertised pills
Herald Sun (Melbourne) 2008 Jul 14
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,24015489-662,00.html

Full text:

PHARMACEUTICAL advertising is driving up the cost of medication and could also cause some people to be prescribed the wrong treatment.

A report by consumer group Choice has found advertised medications are being over-prescribed, even if they are less suitable for the patient or far more expensive than less-advertised medications.

Choice found 93 per cent of ads aimed at GPs for high blood pressure medicines were for new treatments that were not necessarily more effective than older and cheaper options.

Choice senior health policy officer Michael Johnston said drug companies made more money from newly patented drugs they had exclusive rights to but consumers and taxpayers ultimately paid for the advertising to get doctors to prescribe them.

“Consumers should feel confident their doctor is advising them on the best treatment for their condition, not prescribing the drug that has been most heavily promoted because it’s still under patent,” he said.

“Choice is calling on the Government to massively increase investment in providing unbiased information, including independent drug information to doctors.

“An increase in independent information will almost certainly lead to savings in PBS expenditure and better health outcomes for consumers.”

The Pushing Pills report found highly advertised brand-name high blood pressure drugs requiring a $31.40 Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme co-payment were often prescribed instead of the recommended first-line treatment chlorthalidone, which costs $6.50 to $17 but is not advertised at all.

The report found drug company sponsored information sources, such as advertisements in medical magazines, greatly outweighed independent information sources.

Mr Johnston said increasing information about all available treatments would lead to savings on the PBS.

Choice studied the advertisements in 24 issues each of Australian Doctor and Medical Observer newspapers published in 2005 and 2006 for its report.