Are you sick of drug ads on TV? I certainly am. If you were an alien watching TV, you would think we all have constant diarrhea, rashes, and arthritis. And worse around this time of year, Medicare Advantage plans are in Open Enrollment until March 31st, and Joe Namath is making me nuts! Maybe I watch too much TV, but it seems like pharmaceutical companies are the only corporations that have the money to spend on these constant advertisements. Since 2018, 187 ads for 70 medications have aired half a million times, and drug companies spent $2.8 billion on these ads. Drug companies also spend $20 billion annually advertising direct to health professionals. How many of you have been in a doctor’s office, and seen a well dressed woman (or man) with a briefcase in the waiting room? It was probably a drug salesperson or “detailer” as they are called. They are there to persuade doctors that their product is the best, and they often hand out free samples like candy.
Did you know that the U.S and New Zealand are the only countries that allow this “direct to consumer” advertising (DCTA)? Other countries banned it 70 years ago. (And if you are reading this from another country you should be very grateful!) The reasons why the U.S. allows this advertising is complicated, with First Amendment implications and lack of studies that show the true impact of ads on consumer drug use. However, because it is legal, and because repetition works, companies continue to bombard us. How do we evaluate these ads? Some of them may actually introduce us to drugs that could help us. So we go to our doctor and ask her about the new drug. Sometimes doctors give in to the patient’s demands rather than argue.
Should we try to ban these ads or just control them? (If you are interested in all the pros and cons, this article will tell you more than you need to know.) Banning would likely not work in the U.S. in our current political environment, and controlling ads would require a truly independent agency, something which would also require controlling money in politics. So in addition to car ads, I’m afraid we will continue to see these ads for many years to come. Our best bet is to be highly skeptical of what we hear on TV, ask our doctor what the research and evidence really says about the drug in which we might be interested, and — mute or just turn off the TV!