Key Debates - Pharmaceutical Advertising

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Direct-to-consumer prescription drug advertising: understanding its consequences
Jisu Huh and Lee B. Becker, International Journal of Advertising, Vol. 24, No. 4, 2005, pp. 441-466
Direct-to-consumer (DTC) prescription drug advertising is one of the fastest-growing advertising categories in the USA and has generated a great deal of controversy among policy makers, physicians and consumer advocates. Previous studies have demonstrated that consumers are generally aware of DTC advertising...

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Attitudes towards DTC advertising in Australia: an exploratory study
Kenneth E. Miller and David S. Waller, International Journal of Advertising, Vol. 23, No. 3, 2004, pp. 389-405
In Australia direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertising of prescription medicines is currently not permitted. Despite a government report that did not recommend a change, pharmaceutical companies have continued a campaign for the ban to be lifted, resulting in strong opposition by doctors and consumer groups....

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Direct to consumer advertising of prescription medicines in the United States and New Zealand: an analysis of regulatory approaches and consumer responses
John Calfee, Philip Gendall and Janet Hoek, International Journal of Advertising, Vol. 23, No. 2, 2004, pp. 229-251
New Zealand and the United States are the only two advanced nations to permit direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) of prescription medicines, but they use very different regulatory regimes. This paper examines the evolution of DTCA in both countries, compares the New Zealand self-regulatory model with...

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UK physicians’ attitudes towards direct-to-consumer advertising of prescription drugs: an extension and review
Dayananda Palihawadana, Graham Spickett-Jones and J.D Reast, International Journal of Advertising, Vol. 23, No. 2, 2004, pp. 253-276
Since 1990 in New Zealand, and 1997 in the USA, legislation has controversially allowed brand owners to advertise prescription drugs direct to consumers (DTC), with advertising spends of approaching NZ$19 million in 2000, and US$2.7 billion in 2001 respectively. While DTC has faced a mixed response in...

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Pharmaceutical advertising in the USA: information or influence?
Bruce A Huhmann, Jennifer J Argo and Kellly J Main, International Journal of Advertising, Vol. 23, No. 1, 2004, pp. 119-142
While many parts of pharmaceutical advertisements are regulated, each advertisement also contains a promotional component in which the advertiser conveys information to the consumer. The purpose of this research is to examine the promotional portion of pharmaceutical advertisements to determine whether...

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A model assessing the effectiveness of direct-to-consumer advertising: integration of concepts and measures from marketing and healthcare
Matthew Perri III, Aparna D Deshpande, Anil Menon and George M Zinkhan, International Journal of Advertising, Vol. 23, No. 1, 2004, pp. 91-118
The advertising of prescription medications directly to consumers (DTC advertising) has become a familiar practice in the USA. As with all advertising spending, key questions include: how effective is this advertising?; what are the best ways to measure advertising effectiveness? This paper identifies...

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Prescription medication advertising: professional discomfort and potential patient benefits - can the two be balanced?
Kerry Chamberlain and Lyn Eagle, International Journal of Advertising, Vol. 23, No. 1, 2004, pp. 69-90
This paper reviews current controversies surrounding direct-to-consumer (DTC) promotion of prescription drugs in an attempt to address the empirical information void and to provide a framework for sound policy deliberations by policy-makers. While brand specific DTC promotion is currently restricted...

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'Ask Your Doctor!' measuring the effect of direct-to-consumer communications in the world's largest healthcare market
Chris Moore, Hugh J White, L.P Draves and Roland Soong, International Journal of Advertising, Vol. 23, No. 1, 2004, pp. 53-68
Money, buckets of it, is the indispensable fuel for developing a new drug from a promising molecule into a proven and government-approved contender for physician prescription. More money is required to alert busy practitioners to the unfamiliar new therapy and its use. Since 1997, American drug manufacturers...

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The advertising of pharmaceuticals direct to consumers: a critical review of the literature and debate
Frank Auton, International Journal of Advertising, Vol. 23, No. 1, 2004, pp. 5-52
Pharmaceuticals are a substantial global industry which is unusual in that with few exceptions direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) is not permitted. This paper examines the arguments presented for and against the use of DTCA for prescription pharmaceuticals, studies the experience of the two OECD...

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UK physicians' attitudes towards direct-to-consumer advertising of prescription drugs: an exploratory analysis
A.M Carson and J.D Reast, International Journal of Advertising, Vol. 19, No. 3, 2000
US legislation now allows pharmaceutical brand owners to advertise prescription drugs `direct to consumers' (DTC). The easy global access to manufacturers' US targeted Internet sites suggests that a change in European legislation may soon follow. But little or no research has been done within the EU...

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