Advertising: Prescription Drugs

The pharmaceutical industry is of tremendous global importance and invests heavily in promoting its products to medical practitioners and, in selected parts of the world, directly to end consumers. This practice is commonly known as direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA), which is only permitted in the United States and New Zealand. The present entry reviews the practice of DTCA and outlines its historic development. DTCA is discussed from both economic and legal perspectives. Advantages and disadvantages associated with DTCA are addressed, and this form of pharmaceutical advertising is critically evaluated. Future research in this area is encouraged.