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Prescription Drugs:Direct To Consumer Advertising

Posted by maureen

March 29, 2007 |

In 1997, FDA rules cleared the way for pharmaceutical companies to begin direct to consumer advertising for prescription drugs. Previously, prescription drug makers promoted their products exclusively to health-care professionals, who processed the drug information for their patients Direct-To-Consumer advertising has opened the door to numerous drug ads during the course of an evenings viewing. Currently the United States and New Zealand are the only two nations, which allow DTC advertising, and it is shaping and changing the way we use and view drugs. Obviously, the drug companies believe in advertising; in 2004, the rate of expenditure for US direct to consumer promotion on prescribed medication rose more than 500% from 791 million to 4 billion. What is the reason behind the drug companies targeting consumers when these prescribed drugs need a doctor to prescribe them? Research has found that when a patient requests a specific drug that he has seen advertised in the media, the doctor writes the exact prescription the patient requested more than 70 percent of the time. In addition, the number of prescriptions per person has increased and there has been a definite move towards the most expensive medications: which in turn are the most heavily advertised.

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Prescription drug commercials are sophisticated, compelling and persuasive. We see images of people transformed from people who struggle with depression, allergies, sleeplessness, arthritis into happy, carefree people or can once again cope with and enjoy life. It is hard not to be swept up in the hype and easy to buy into their message of the better life the little pill will offer. However, do not be mislead into thinking that the FDA, who oversees the advertising of prescription drug products, actually reviews ads before they are released: they do not.
Which means you need to use a healthy slice of common sense before taking all this to heart?
The FDA administration maintains that there is a beneficial role for this type of promotion when it is done appropriately. It is true that DTC ads can help educate patients about health problems, and provide greater awareness of treatments. Patients may be more involved in their health care and may promote discussions with physicians. But with the tendency for the physician to prescribe a specific brand name drug when the patient asks for it, also comes the problem of the patient influencing the physician to prescribe a specific brand name drug without a complete knowledge of the drug and it’s effects.
Guidelines for cholesterol were changed four years ago and as a result, it has been estimated that it tripled the number of potential customers for drug companies and earned the drug companies over $12 billion. A year later they raised the bar for acceptable blood pressure and nearly 45 million Americans who once had healthy blood pressure were told they have a medical condition called ‘pre-hypertension’ and needed drug treatment
It is obvious that some manipulation is taking place it is also true that drugs save and extend lives everyday and improve the quality of life for many. However, taking a drug is serious business and should never be taken lightly. We have to take responsibility for this and do our homework. We are more likely to ask questions about having our car when it goes in for repair than we are when making decisions that affect our long-term health.


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