Patient and Physician Attitudes and Behaviors Associated With DTC Promotion of Prescription Drugs-Summary of FDA Survey Research Results. Appendix C: Supplemental Analyses

摘要

Historically, prescription drug advertising in the United States was directed primarily toward health professionals, rather than consumers. Direct-to-consumer (DTC) prescription drug advertising, however, began to appear in print as early as the 1980s and spread increasingly to broadcast formats after the publication in 1997 of the FDA guidance for industry, Consumer-Directed Broadcast Advertisements. As the amount and visibility of DTC promotion increased, calls for research investigating the role of DTC advertising in either creating benefits or causing problems for consumers and the healthcare system intensified. To evaluate the effects of the guidance and DTC broadcast advertising, in general, on the public health and on doctor-patient interaction, FDA conducted two surveys of patients and one survey of physicians. These surveys explored patient and physician perspectives on DTC advertising as it relates to the healthcare experience. Findings indicate that DTC advertising has important positive and negative effects.