Letters to the Editor: Direct to consumer advertising

Trade Agreements and Direct-to-Consumer Advertising of Pharmaceuticals

There is growing international concern about the risks posed by direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) of prescription pharmaceuticals, including via the internet. Recent trade agreements negotiated by the United States, however, incorporate provisions that may constrain national regulation of DTCA. Some provisions explicitly mention DTCA; others enable foreign investors to seek compensation if ...

Research-agenda Bias: letters to the editor

Direct-to-Consumer Pharmaceutical Advertising

Types of Advertisements There are currently several types of DTC drug advertisements (Table 1).5,11 One type is the “help-seeking ad,” which provides only information about a medical condition and encourages patients to contact their physician but doesn’t mention a product.5,11 Another category is the “reminder ad,” which includes the product name; this type may provide information about streng...

Direct-to-consumer advertising and consumer welfare

Available online xxxx

Still the Great Debate – “Fair Balance” in Direct-to-Consumer Prescription Drug Advertising; Comment on “Trouble Spots in Online Direct-to-Consumer Prescription Drug Promotion: A Content Analysis of FDA Warning Letters”

The above titled paper examined the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) warning letters and notice of violations (NOV) over a 10-year period. Findings from this content analysis reinforced what has been the primary issue for prescription direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) since its beginning, the fair balance of risk and benefit information. As opposed to another analysis in 2026 about th...