Healthy Skepticism Library item: 1975

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

Newby DA, Henry DA.
Drug advertising: truths, half-truths and few statistics.
Med J Aust 2002 Sep 16; 177:(6):285-6
http://www.mja.com.au/public/issues/177_06_160902/new10443_fm.html

Abstract:

Advertisements should provide better information so the editorial restates the findings reported in this issue of an analysis of 174 advertisements for pharmaceuticals in six Australian medical publications. Fewer than 8% contained quantitative data about therapy outcomes, most framed in relative rather than absolute terms, and only 28% conveyed clinical outcomes in any specific, substantive and unambiguous way. The pharmaceutical industry spends about twice the amount on promotion than it does on research and development. Medical journal advertising provides a return on investment greater than detailing and direct-to- consumer advertising. A study on two classes of heavily promoted drugs showed that although doctors reported paying little attention to advertisements most believed the drugs were effective despite evidence that they lacked efficiency and offered no advantages over existing treatments. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission should heed the results reported in this issue. The review on direct-to-consumer advertising recommended against this practice but some within the pharmaceutical industry are still pressing for change; this report suggests that it is likely to be uninformative and promotional rather than educational. Advertisements for modern drugs should provide data on the absolute effects of therapy, best related to comparisons with established therapies, and include the dispensed price.

Keywords:
Advertising/standards* Australia Disclosure* Drug Evaluation/statistics & numerical data* Drug Industry* Humans Public Policy