Direct to Consumer Prescription Drug Advertising: More Harm Than Good

摘要

Only the United States and New Zealand permit direct-to-consumer (DTC) prescription drug advertising. Having trained graduate students and fellows from other countries over the years, I frequently heard them say that they were shocked when they first come to the United States and saw prescription drug advertising on television. How can we allow that, they would ask. The premise on which such advertising is based was posited by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) in its December 2008 "PhRMA Guiding Principles: Direct to Consumer Advertisements about Prescription Medicines," as follows: An important benefit of direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertising is that it fosters an informed conversation about health, disease and treatments between patients and their health care practitioners. A strong empirical record demonstrates that DTC communications about prescription medicines serve the public health by: Increasing awareness about diseases; Educating patients about treatment options; Motivating patients to contact their physicians and engage in a dialogue about health concerns; Increasing the likelihood that patients will receive appropriate care for conditions that are frequently under-diagnosed and under-treated; and Encouraging compliance with prescription drug treatment regimens...