It is nearly impossible today to turn on the television or read a magazine without seeing an advertisement for a prescription medication. CBS HealthWatch reported in 1998 that 66% of consumers in the United States had seen a particular product advertised in print, while 61% had seen one promoted on television.1 Spending on direct-toconsumer advertisements increased 212% between 1995 and 1996, r...

BACKGROUND The current direction of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) policy on direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) of pharmaceuticals is a subject of debate. The literature addresses the benefits and drawbacks of DTCA, but the foundations for such policies have not been investigated in detail. OBJECTIVE This paper explores the most recent FDA guidance on broadcast DTCA based on a c...