Examining the FDA's oversight of direct-to-consumer advertising.
Our analysis examined the effects of the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA's) 1997 draft guidance regarding advertisements for prescription drugs broadcast directly to consumers. We found that although direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertising spending by pharmaceutical companies has increased, more than 80 percent of their promotional spending is directed to physicians. DTC advertising appears to increase the use of prescription drugs among consumers. The FDA's oversight has not prevented companies from making misleading claims in subsequent advertisements, and a recent policy change has lengthened the FDA's review process, raising the possibility that some misleading campaigns could run their course before review.
Gahart
Martin T
MT
Health Care Issues Team, U.S. General Accounting Office (GAO), Washington, DC, USA.
Duhamel
Louise M
LM
Dievler
Anne
A
Price
Roseanne
R
D000329:Advertising / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000592:standards*; D008192:Deception; D017277:Drug Approval; D004345:Drug Industry / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000592:standards*; D004363:Drug Utilization; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D006801:Humans; D010358:Patient Participation; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D014481:United States; D014486:United States Food and Drug Administration