Direct-to-consumer drug ads rarely mention condition risks or alternative treatments, study finds: NewsTarget.com

Researchers from two branches of the University of California as well as a former FDA commissioner assert that direct-to-consumer television ads for prescription drugs often fail to identify risk factors or alternative, drug-free treatments for the conditions the drugs are designed to treat.

In the study, the researchers report that they studied commercials recorded between June 30 and July 27, 2004 shown during prime time television on ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox. The total tally was 38 unique ads that were about seven of the top 10 best selling prescription pharmaceuticals of 2004. Specifically, the University of California researchers were looking "for factual claims (advertisers) make about the target condition, how they attempt to appeal to consumers, and how they portray the medication and lifestyle behaviors in the lives of ad characters."

According to the results published in the Annals of Family Medicine, only 26 percent of ads studied informed consumers about causes and risk factors for the conditions, and 25 percent reported the prevalence of the given condition. Not one of the ads talked about making lifestyle changes instead of taking the medicine, although 19 percent referenced lifestyle changes as something that could be made alongside regimens of the product. Eighteen percent of the advertisers suggested that lifestyle changes were not enough to control the conditions their products treated.

The study also noted that seven of the 38 ads captured in the study were “reminder” ads (promotions which tout the name of the drug but give no other information.) Reminder ads are the subject of a voluntary ban among major drug marketers.

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Study finds hardly any direct-to-consumer drug ads mention condition risks or alternative treatments

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