Heal the damage: prescription drug consumer advertisements and relative choices.

Abstract

The process of choosing and prescribing prescription drugs is complex. While the choice about which drug to prescribe is made by the physician, the physician may be influenced by patient demand, which, in turn, may be influenced by consumer advertisements. As a result, consumer advertisements for prescription drugs need to provide information that gives consumers an understanding, not only of drug risks and efficacy but also of the notable limits on benefits claimed. This Article examines the drug-specific focus of consumer advertising for prescription drugs from two perspectives: the need to prevent confusion that could affect medical decisions about alternative treatments and the need to prevent misimpressions about the value of a drug that can create consumer demand on physicians and insurers for more expensive drugs than needed.