Information versus influence: An analysis of educational, relational, and identity rewards present in direct-to-consumer prescription drug advertising

Abstract

BackgroundPharmaceutical companies have rationalized rapid increases in spending on direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) by highlighting the educational potential that such efforts have for patients. Others have argued that profits and influence, not educational benefits, are the true motivators for the expansion of DTCA. It is critical that pharmacists be aware of the content of direct-to-consumer advertisements to best counsel patients on proper medication expectations. ObjectivesThis study investigated the ways in which drug information is being presented to patients and whether such rewards may act as a form of education regarding a greater emphasis on the product or the condition the drug is designed to treat. MethodsThis study conducted a content analysis of 60 broadcast prescription drug advertisements appearing over a 12-week primetime programming period across 4 major news networks to determine which types of educational, relational, and identity rewards were present across the textual, verbal, and visual modalities. ResultsFindings indicated a greater overall presence of relational and identity rewards than educational rewards. Most of the educational rewards served to promote a particular drug rather than educate consumers about a condition. There was a statistically significant relationship between reward type and modality, such that there were greater relational and identity rewards within the visual modality and greater educational rewards in the textual modality than expected. ConclusionFindings showed that educational rewards in the service of promoting a particular drug were included more than 2.5 times as often as educational rewards about the condition treated. This lack of information about the condition suggests that DTCA may be aiming to increase profits by encouraging conversation between patients and providers about the advertised medications. As a result, a patient may demonstrate an increased desire to discuss a particular drug with a pharmacist or a provider rather than discussing information about the condition itself.