Direct to consumer advertising
DTCA of prescription drugs has increased enormously over the past decade in the United States and New Zealand, the 2 countries where it is legal. In 2005, more than $4.2 billion (US) was spent on DTCA in the United States, and Americans spent an average of 16 hours watching televised drug advertisements-far more time than they spent with family doctors. Mintzes (2009)
Whereas advertising for non-prescription pharmaceuticals has been directed to consumers for decades, direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertising for prescription drugs is a relatively recent phenomenon. Regulation of pharmaceutical advertising varies significantly around the globe. Diehl et al (2008)
Currently, direct-to-consumer advertising is only allowed in the US and New Zealand, but is banned throughout Europe and the rest of the world. Diehl et al (2008)
Despite the ban, a number of pharmaceutical companies have already begun to conduct consumer-targeted campaigns in the EU, which comply with current restrictions (Hone Benson 2004).
