Innovation Gone Bad - Direct to Consumer Advertising

http://www.who.int/bulletin/volumes/87/8/09-040809/en/index.html

Direct to consumer (DTC) advertising was revolutionary and innovative in the pharmaceutical world and had been legal in the US since 1985. It wasn't until 1997 when the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) loosened their regulations on DTC advertising by requiring drug companies to include detailed list of side-effects associated with taking the advertised drugs during the infomercial. These loosened regulations have helped the pharmaceutical industry earn billions or not trillions.

DTC advertising has ended up being the most profitable marketing approach ever conceived for the pharmaceutical industry, however in their attempts to make profits, like many advertisements, they have begun to deceive consumers, which can ultimately cause people their lives. Case-in-point is a DTC ad put out by Pfizer for their drug Lipitor. In their ad, they had this respected doctor come on, "Dr. Robert Jarvik", come on and say that just because he is a doctor that doesn't mean he doesn't have to worry about his cholesterol and that's why he takes Lipitor. The add introduces him as the inventor of the artificial heart. The ad completely misleads consumers, as "Dr. Robert Jarvik" is has never been a licensed medical doctor, so he can not prescribe drugs. Jarvik also did not invent the artificial heart, according to three former colleagues. The add also goes on to show him rowing a boat, when in fact he never rowed the boat. Pfizer was forced to pull their ad, but after lying to how many people and convincing how many people to start taking Lipitor. Pfizer expressed regret for misleading consumers and swore never to portray actors as doctors.

Additional "side effects" of DTC advertising include the increased use of off-label uses of drugs, uses not approved by the FDA, the increased pressures primary care physicians are facing by patients pressuring them to prescribe treatments to ailments they may or may not have.

So what was touted as a way to save money in the health care industry by educating consumers on alternate medicines and bringing to light conditions people may have so they can seek prescription treatment as opposed to costly surgeries, may have ended up costing the health care industry more money by making people think there is something wrong with them when in fact there may be nothing wrong. It certainly is costing consumers more than they realize.