DTC pharmaceutical advertising: the debate’s not over

Abstract

Direct‐to‐consumer (DTC) advertising of prescription drugs is no longer the novel experiment it was during the late 1980s. Liberalization of the Food and Drug Administration regulations in the USA, combined with a substantial body of evidence that DTC advertising is a stimulus to consumer purchasing behavior, has resulted in DTC advertising becoming a standard component of every major drug company’s marketing plan. Research since the late 1980s has compared consumers’ perceptions of DTC ads with the perceptions of physicians. While the studies are methodologically diverse, the results have been directionally consistent. In general, consumers have positive attitudes toward DTC advertising, viewing it as a valuable educational resource that helps them become more involved in their health care. A significant proportion of DTC readers claim to have acted directly on the message by talking to their doctor about the advertised brand. Consumers report that they are more likely to take prescribed medication and/or get their prescriptions filled when prompted by DTC advertising. Physicians, however, have been far less enthusiastic about DTC advertising, with majorities expressing the wish that it be decreased, or discontinued altogether. In most studies, only small minorities of physicians believed that it contributed in a positive way to the doctor‐patient relationship. In certain specialties, notably internal medicine and family practice, approval rates were below the norm. We relate problems identified in advertising communication research to applications of DTC pharmaceutical advertising, and identify specific issues in need of further research. Notably, gaining an improved understanding of how well consumers comprehend DTC advertising messages, and which copy elements hinder comprehension, can help the industry to better educate consumers, facilitate improved ad campaign recognition, brand recall and message association, and help promote more constructive, and less confrontational, doctor‐patient relationships.