Question

List 2 arguments for and 2 arguments against Direct to Consumer promotion of pharmaceutical products. Is this way of handling drug promotion effective? Why or Why not?

Answer 1

Direct to consumer promotion is the advertising of medicines to the consumers(patients) has increased exponentially. Even though the FDA had given guidelines, it has a major negative impact on health care providers and consumers. Direct to consumer advertising came into effect in 1997, still, it was facing many challenges and arguments in the health care system.

Arguments that support the direct to consumer promotion:

• One group argues that direct advertising makes awareness on the people about the disease condition and treatment options which improves the overall health of the population.
• It improves the shared decision making by empowering the doctor-patient relationship as the patient can able to talk openly with the doctor about their medical condition and treatment choices.

Arguments against the direct to consumer promotion:

• Direct advertising promotes a way to expensive brand name drugs. Pharmaceutical companies force the doctor to prescribe the particular brand which increases the cost of the drug.
• Direct to the consumer makes use of drugs out of control and leads to a wide gap between consumer perception and originality of medicine.

Direct to Consumer promotion of pharmaceutical products should be regulated by the FDA, to control of advertising, minimizing of misleading use of drugs, off labels drugs. The FDA should minimize the risk of direct advertising and it should not affect the health care providers at any cost. Anyway, Direct to Consumer promotion still needs observation to bring variation in the future.