The Center for Health Media and Policy at Hunter College, City University of New York, recently asked me to guest blog. Here’s an excerpt of some thoughts I offered on direct to consumer prescription drug ads:
Is advertising prescription drugs directly to consumers a good thing?
It all depends on whom you ask. Some physicians complain of pressure from patients to put them on the new drug du jour, even when current medications are more than sufficient. Others believe that there is inherent educational value in drug ads; they raise awareness of a drug’s availability, associated symptoms, and possible need for treatment. Still others advocate (read the entire post at CHMP)