Dcpa Pros And Cons

I. Introduction

A. Social Problem(s)/Significance (why should we care?)

There are 195 countries in the entire world, and direct- to- consumer pharmaceutical advertising (DTCPA) is only found in two—the United States and New Zealand. Since 1997, pharmaceutical companies have been allowed to advertise their products directly to the public via radio and television, with the stipulation from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that the advertisements not be misleading (Ventola 2011). Those in favor of DTCPA argue that the general public is entitled to know all of the pros and cons of the medications on the market, and the increase in money that results from the increase in sales from DTCPA funds the research and development of new medications

Those against DTCPA argue that the practice has more cons than pros. While proponents argue the positive educational benefit of DTCPA, opponents argue the ads also have the ability to misinform patients, as it is not uncommon for important medication information to be omitted (Donohue 2006). DTCPA of prescription drugs has long been debated as it is not painstakingly obvious which side provides the general public the greatest good seeing as both provide fair points backed up by research- based evidence. The importance in debating and informing oneself over this topic stems from both health and monetary reasons. While 193 countries are undoubtedly opposed to, and have banned the wide- scale marketing of pharmaceuticals, DTCPA is a legal, yet highly debated topic in the United States. It is vital to conclude whether the reason why only two countries allow DTCPA because we

The most common type of DTCPA the public sees is known as the “product- claim ad”. The information provided in this type of ad includes the name of a specific drug and the use of that drug for treating a certain disease. The “product- claim ad” makes certain “safety” and “efficacy” claims about the medication, it is required that the risks also be briefly summarized in order to ensure “fair balance”. Another form of DTCPA is the “reminder ad” in which the name of a specific drug, drug dosage, and sometimes cost, are mentioned. This type of advertisement differs from “product- claim ad” in that it excludes any information about the use of the medication for treatment. For that reason, these adds do not need to abide by the same requirements as the “product claim ad”, however only medications with low risk and side- effects qualify for marketing in the form of the “reminder ad”. The final form of DTCPA is referred to as the “help- seeking ad”. This form of advertisement only provides information about a specific condition or disease, but excludes any information about medication for it. The purpose of this type of ad is to urge people with that condition to reach out to their physician, and from there, receive personalized advice for future treatment. As a result of the “help- seeking ad” not providing information