A Decade of Direct-to-Consumer Advertising of Prescription Drugs

This study of direct-to-consumer advertising by pharmaceutical companies reports a 330% increase in spending from 1996 to 2005. Such advertising campaigns were often initiated within 1 year after Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of the drug. Some experts have proposed changing regulations to prohibit such advertising during the first year after FDA approval. These data suggest that such a policy change would lead to a substantial change in the industry's advertising practices. This study of direct-to-consumer advertising by pharmaceutical companies reports a 330% increase in spending from 1996 to 2005. It has been 10 years since a change in a policy of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) allowed direct-to-consumer advertising of prescription drugs on television. Such advertising has been criticized for encouraging inappropriate use of medications and driving up drug spending. 1 , 2 Concern that such advertising may lead to increased use of expensive medications was amplified by the introduction of a prescription-drug benefit in Medicare in 2006 (Part D). Studies of the effect of advertising on prescribing practices have shown that such advertising increases classwide sales, helps to avert underuse of medicines to treat chronic conditions, and leads to . . .