Patterns in Direct-to-Consumer Prescription Drug Print Advertising and Their Public Policy Implications

Through a content analysis, the author identifies several patterns in direct-to-consumer prescription drug print advertisements. In general, many of the advertised brands are market leaders within their therapeutic class, are targeted at a broad patient base, and are relatively new drugs used for chronic and frequently occurring diseases. Most of the disease states and associated symptoms and treatments for which prescription drugs are advertised to consumers are easily understood relative to other diseases. Thus, the advertisements attempt to communicate information about diseases and products that consumers are likely to understand. Pharmacists’ assessments of advertising information content reveals that the majority of advertisements present a “fair balance” of benefit and risk information but occasionally omit information that may be useful to consumers. The author concludes by discussing public policy and social marketing implications for the FDA, pharmaceutical manufacturers, and medical advertising agencies.