Medpundit

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Saturday, March 30, 2002

Direct to consumer advertising reaps its rewards.

In 2000, drug companies spent 58.8% of their total industry spending on advertising to consumers. It seems to have paid off. Make no mistake, those advertisements influence patient's perceptions of drug effectiveness. Physicians aren't immune to their tactics, either. It's amazing how many doctors prescribe drugs based on the most recent detailing and samples they've received. I used to think this wasn't true, but I've been around long enough now to know how true it is. It's unfortunate, and we're all paying the consequences in higher insurance premiums and cuts in drug benefits. The answer isn't to have the government pay more in drug benefits. The answer is to curtail advertising by drug companies.

posted by Sydney on 3/30/2002 08:56:00 AM 0 comments

Saturday, March 30, 2002

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