Direct-to-consumer advertising under the radar: the need for realistic drugs policy in Australia.
Direct-to-consumer advertising of prescription medicines (DTCA-PM) is currently banned in Australia. DTCA-PM is thought to increase health-care costs by increasing demand for drugs that are both expensive and potentially harmful. However, DTCA-PM is occurring in Australia despite the current prohibition. We argue that successful regulation of the practice has been undermined as a result of changes brought about by the ongoing communications revolution, the increasing centrality of patient choice in medical decision-making and the impossibility of drawing and maintaining a sharp distinction between information and advertising. The prohibition is further threatened by recent international trade agreements. These factors make DTCA-PM inevitable and legislative and professional bodies need to acknowledge this to create a more effective health-care policy.
Mackenzie
F J
FJ
Centre for Values, Ethics and the Law in Medicine, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. fionam@science.usyd.edu.au
Jordens
C F C
CF
Ankeny
R A
RA
McPhee
J
J
Kerridge
I H
IH
D000329:Advertising; D001315:Australia; D003657:Decision Making; D004345:Drug Industry / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D006291:Health Policy / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D006801:Humans; D033181:Information Dissemination; D010358:Patient Participation