Healthy Skepticism Library item: 9426

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

Wilkes MS, Doblin BH, Shapiro MF.
Pharmaceutical advertisements in leading medical journals: experts' assessments.
Ann Intern Med 1992 Jun 1; 116:(11):912-9

Abstract:

A study of the scientific accuracy of 109 full-page prescription drug advertisements appearing in 10 leading medical journals and their compliance with current Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations was conducted; advertisements were reviewed by 2 physicians in the relevant clinical area with peer review experience and one academic clinical pharmacist. In 30% of cases, 2 or more reviewers disagreed with the advertisers’ claim that the drug was the drug of choice for the cited condition. Reviewers felt that information on efficacy was balanced with that on side effects in 49% of advertisements, but was not balanced in 40%. Reviewers agreed with claims that the drug was safe in 86% of the cases but judged that headlines in 32% of the advertisements misled the reader about efficacy. Reviewers would not have recommended publication of 28% of the advertisements and would have required major revisions in 34% before publication. It was concluded that many advertisements contained deficiencies in areas in which the FDA has established explicit standards of quality.

Keywords:
Advertising/standards* Drug Industry/standards Editorial Policies Federal Government Government Regulation Peer Review Periodicals/standards* Pharmaceutical Preparations* Professional Misconduct* Questionnaires Statistics United States United States Food and Drug Administration