E-drug: Direct to Consumer Advertising
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The business community is mounting a strong reaction to the recent report
from professors of general practice in New Zealand calling for a ban on
DTCA. The message below gives a link to a story in the NZ National Business
Review. That story refers to a survey done by two people at Massey
University. Here is a link to that survey
<http://masseynews.massey.ac.nz/2003/press_releases/18_02_03b.html>\.
Massey News | Updated 18 February, 2003 |
[copied as fair use]
Prescription drug advertising has benefits say health professionals
Albany - Medical professionals, on the whole, are finding that media
advertising of prescription drugs has benefits, according to a
survey of doctors, pharmacists and practice nurses.
The study of health professionals' attitudes to advertising of drugs
such as Xenical, Celebrex and Viagra was conducted by Dr Lynne Eagle
and Professor Kerry Chamberlain.
" One group of doctors is violently opposed philosophically to DTC
advertising, another group is ambivalent and a third group think it
is positive," Dr Eagle says. "It is a myth that doctors feel
pressured by patients armed with printouts from the Internet and
demands for the latest drug shown on TV."
Dr Eagle says doctors with positive attitudes to DTC advertising
tended to be younger and female which probably reflects a change in
doctor patient relationships. "It has been noted that patients as
consumers are seeking to move away from the traditional relationship
where 'doctor knows best' and patients have no input into treatment
decisions, to become informed on treatment options and involved in
decision making."
About a quarter of all Internet traffic is to do with health care
information which has overtaken pornography as the most popular net
sector. Dr Eagle says while there is clearly a difference between a
consumer being exposed to advertising in mainstream media and seeking
information on the Net, a ban on DTC advertising would be unworkable
because it is almost impossible to ban access to information on the
Internet.
For the Albany survey, doctors, practice nurses and pharmacists
completed an extensive questionnaire on such topics as the number of
patients requesting advertised medications, the degree of pressure
to provide requested medication, and attitudes and responses to
requests.
Doctors found advertised medications often stimulated patients to
bring up a concern that might otherwise not be discussed, leading to
the diagnosis of underlying factors.
" A patient asking about Viagra might give the GP a chance to
discuss the causes of erectile dysfunction, which often has a
medical basis, and detect previously undiagnosed problems,' Dr Eagle
said.
" Patients also found the advertising was a prompt to take
medication regularly and would go on the Internet after their
condition had been diagnosed to become better informed."
The Albany team will publish the results of a consumer survey on
DTC next month. Preliminary findings indicate similar ambivalence to
that shown by medical professionals, but overall positive effects
more than balance any negatives.
" There is no evidence from either study indicating DTC advertising
should be curtailed," Dr Eagle said.
Dr Lynne Eagle is a senior lecturer in marketing in the College of
Business and Associate Professor Chamberlain is head of the
Psychology section at Albany.
[ends]
Joel Lexchin
--
Joel Lexchin MD
121 Walmer Rd.
Toronto Ontario
Canada M5R2 2X8
Tel: 416-964-7186
Fax: 416-923-9515
e mail: joel.lexchin@utoronto.ca
--
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