The results of the latest Heart Scan Blog poll are in.
DIRECT-TO-CONSUMER PHARMACEUTICAL ADVERTISING HAS:
Increased public awareness of medical conditions and their treatment
19 (11%)
Has had little overall effect on health and healthcare
29 (18%)
Needlessly increased healthcare costs
81 (50%)
Further empowered the revenue-obsessed pharmaceutical industry
130 (81%)
Clearly, there's a lot of negative sentiment against direct-to-consumer (DTC) drug advertising.
It looks as if a small minority believe that good has come from DTC advertising, judging by the meager 11% who voted for increased awareness. In fact, the poll results are heavily weighed towards the negative : 50% voted for "needlessly increased healthcare costs," while an astounding 81% voted for "empowered the revenue-obsessed pharmaceutical industry."
It is, indeed, an odd situation: Pharmaceutical agents available only by prescription being hyped directly to the consumer.
Personally, I would vote for choices 1,3, and 4. While awareness has increased, it has come with a hefty price, not all of it well spent. I believe the pharmaceutical industry still adheres to the rule that, for every $1 spent on advertising, $4 is made in revenue. They are, in effect, printing money.