Direct-to-consumer drug promotion

Since the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) relaxed its restrictions on broadcast TV advertising of pharmaceutical products in 1997, direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertising has boomed. DTC drug ads can encourage dialogue between patients and their health care providers (Morgan and Levy, 1998), which can strengthen the patient-provider bond if the patient gains a sense of participation in his health care (Woodward, 1996). However, these ads can also strain this relationship when the provider does not prescribe the requested drug (Gelles, 1997). With DTC drug ads having such an impact on the patient-provider relationship, it is important to understand the patient attitudes and behaviors that are a result of DTC drug ads. Nurse practitioners are in a position to educate patients who may have misconceptions resulting from DTC ads.

The purpose of this research is to survey health care consumers in order to determine their experiences with DTC drug advertisements, any actions they may have taken as a result of these ads, their attitudes and beliefs regarding DTC drug advertising, and the influence of DTC drug ads on the patient’s perception of the patient-provider relationship. Patients in a rural primary care facility in western New York state completed a self-administered questionnaire. The survey collected demographic information and investigated the respondents’ attitudes and behaviors associated with DTC advertisements. A total of 188 questionnaires were returned. Due to attrition, 137 questionnaires were included in the final analysis. Of the sample population (A=137), 90.51% had been exposed to DTC drug ads. Television was cited most frequently (97.58%) as the source of DTC drug ads. Only 5% of subjects indicated they would not talk with their health care provider about an ad because of trust issues.

In summary, exposure to DTC drug ads is high, with television and magazines being the leading sources of these ads. While the study results show no adverse effects on the patient-provider relationship, the continued rise and evolution of DTC advertising may have an effect on the patient-provider relationship. This provides nurse practitioners with an opportunity to educate patients about prescription drugs. Suggestions are offered for future research of DTC drug advertising.