PhRMA reports examine reactions to DTC advertising

PhRMA reports examine reactions to DTC advertising

PhRMA released two new reports this week about consumer and physician feedback to DTC advertising. The first report is based on 458 comments, mostly from consumers, about how companies are adhering to PhRMA's DTC Guiding Principles. Consumers showed strong support for the inclusion of patient assistance information in ads and airing ads for age-appropriate audiences. Criticisms included the use of certain actors in a DTC ad and confusion about risk information. The other report collected anecdotal feedback from a panel of independent health professions who watched TV and print ads during a five-month period in 2006. Panel members noted that the most effective ads were product specific and promoted drugs in a context of raising awareness about a condition. They suggested emphasizing the value of portraying realistic scenarios in ads to reflect serious medical conditions.