Direct-to-Consumer Drug Advertising on Seniors’ Health and Health Care Costs

Link Details

Direct-to-Consumer Drug Advertising on Seniors’ Health and Health Care Costs

What is the effect of direct-to-consumer drug advertising on seniors’ health and healthcare costs?  The non-profit watchdog group Public Citizen provided testimony before the Senate Special Committee on Aging regarding the impact of drug companies’ advertising directly to the consumer. Quote from Peter Lurie, MD’s testimony: “On balance, we believe that the clearly demonstrated adverse effects of DTC advertising outweigh the still-undemonstrated, theoretical benefits of the advertising. Every country in the world has reached this conclusion, except the United States.” Well-footnoted. HRG Publication #1751, Sept. 29, 2005