Healthy Skepticism Library item: 16270

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

Abel GA, Burstein HJ, Hevelone ND, Weeks JC
Cancer-Related Direct-to-Consumer Advertising: Awareness, Perceptions, and Reported Impact Among Patients Undergoing Active Cancer Treatment
Journal of Clinical Oncology 2009 Aug 03;

Abstract:

Purpose: Although cancer-related direct-to-consumer advertising (CR-DTCA) is prevalent, little is known about cancer patients’ experiences with this controversial medium of medical communication.

Methods: We administered a 41-item, mailed questionnaire to consecutive patients with breast and hematologic malignancies who were undergoing active treatment at our institution. We assessed awareness of CR-DTCA within the prior year, perceptions of CR-DTCA, and CR-DTCA–prompted patient and provider behaviors.

Results: We received 348 completed questionnaires (response rate, 75.0%). Overall, 86.2% reported being aware of CR-DTCA, most frequently from television (77.7%). Awareness did not vary with clinical or sociodemographic factors except that patients were more likely to be aware of CR-DTCA for products specific to their cancer types (P < .0001). A majority of those aware reported that CR-DTCA made them “aware of treatments they did not know about” (62.2%), provided information in “a balanced manner” (65.2%), and helped them to have “better discussions” with their provider (56.8%). These perceptions were significantly more favorable among those who had not graduated from college (P < .05 for each). Overall, 11.2% reported that CR-DTCA made them “less confident” in their providers’ judgment. Of those aware, 17.3% reported talking to their provider about an advertised medication, although less than one fifth of those reported receiving a prescription for the advertised medication.

Conclusion: The patients in our cohort were highly aware of CR-DTCA. CR-DTCA was found to be accessible and useful; however, it decreased some patients’ confidence in their providers’ judgment. CR-DTCA prompted a modest amount of patient-provider discussion but infrequent patient-reported changes in therapy.