Why are there so many drug ads on television? There are several reasons, not the least of which is, pharmaceutical companies can afford to buy the time and are willing to spend the bucks. Collectively, they spend billions. Drug ads make up about 8% of the total commercial time on television. If that doesn’t sound like a lot, it works out to about 80 drug ads an hour. Every day. Direct-to-consumer advertising of drugs has been legal in the U.S. since 1985, and we’re one of only two countries that allow these ads. New Zealand is the other. These ads can mislead, misinform and may be hazardous to your health. Take two aspirin and read on.
Move the Dollars to R&D
In 2015, the American Medical Association called for a ban on drug ads. They argued that the billions spent on advertising inflates demand and pushes prices up. Pharmaceutical firms spend more on advertising than they do on research and development. If a ban on these kinds of commercials were in place, that would free up billions for R&D. We add the caveat that any windfall could end up as stock buybacks or bonuses instead of research.
See Your Doctor
Those in favor of direct-to-consumer prescription drug ads often argue patients should be able to learn about drug benefits the same way they learn about the benefits of a particular toilet paper. Well, the knowledge necessary to determine what brand of toilet paper you should have in your bathroom doesn’t require a medical degree. Charmin has no side effects to consider.
Tactically, drug ads are meant to motivate the patient to visit their doctor and get them to write a prescription. There needs to be more studies done but evidence suggests a patient request does influence doctors. The Kaiser Family Foundation found 28% of people who viewed a drug ad on television asked a doctor about it and 12% got a prescription.
The Side Effects are Worse than the Disease
Muscle pain, joint pain, bruising, dizziness, blurred vision, rash, hives, blood disorders, swollen tongue, dry mouth, weight gain, weight loss, constipation, diarrhea, dehydration, and on and on. The listing of side effects in drug ads has been subject matter for a ton of comedy material. However, stroke, suicidal thoughts, and death aren’t funny. The sad side is we become numb and the lists become white noise. We saw a drug ad recently that said you shouldn’t take the drug if you are allergic to it. Really? How would you know unless you’ve tried it? Are you supposed to check drug formulas for components that you know you’re allergic too?
Full Circle
About 40 years ago, CEOs for Big Pharma testified before Congress. They said they wouldn’t support direct-to-consumer advertising because it was too risky and could cause more harm than good. Something we came across in our research seems like the most appropriate item to end with. A pharmaceutical company was advertising a medication to treat a condition caused by overmedication. Cause and effect.