PharmacoEconomics & Outcomes News 402 - 8 Mar 2003

NZ academics say DTC advertisingof Rx drugs should be banned

Senior academic staff at all four medical schools inNew Zealand have authored a report recommendingthat direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertising ofprescription-only drugs, which is allowed in NewZealand, be banned, reports the BMJ.1

The report concludes that DTC advertising does notprovide patients with objective information regardingthe benefits, risks and options for helping consumers toparticipate in healthcare decisions. Instead, ProfessorLes Topp from the School of Medicine and HealthSciences, University of Otago, Christchurch, andcolleagues recommend the establishment of anindependent service providing health information ontreatment options to consumers.

The results of a survey of 3200 general practitioners(GPs) in New Zealand in an appendix to the reportreveals that, of 1611 respondents, only 12% believedthat DTC advertising helps educate patients about thebenefits and risks of prescription medications. Morethan 75% of GPs surveyed also reported that patientsoften requested advertised drugs, despite these beinginappropriate. Among the report’s supporters is theRoyal New Zealand College of General Practitioners. Thereport, entitled ‘Direct to Consumer Advertising ofPrescription Drugs in New Zealand’, is available atwww.chmeds.ac.nz.

However, another research team from New Zealandsays the report is biased, states Marketletter.2

Researchers from Massey University contend thatGPs selected for the survey were clearly opposed toDTC advertising of prescription drugs, based on theirown research into physician attitudes to suchadvertising. In addition, the researchers did not acceptthat report’s finding that GPs felt pressured byconsumers to prescribe advertised drugs.1. Bob Burton. Ban direct to consumer advertising, report recommends. BMJ 326:

467, 1 Mar 2003.2. New Zealand anti-DTC study biased. Marketletter 30: 16, 3 Mar 2003.

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PharmacoEconomics & Outcomes News 8 Mar 2003 No. 4021173-5503/10/0402-0001/$14.95 Adis © 2010 Springer International Publishing AG. All rights reserved