Editorial: Advertising pharmaceuticals to Australians

Donovan, Jan

doi:10.18773/austprescr.1999.062

Cited by 2 publications

(2 citation statements)

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“…The educational value of DTCA is often poor (Donovan, 1999;Avorn, 2003) with a greater emphasis on the use and benefits of treatment (Mintzes, 2002), downplaying the safety information (Lexchin and Mintzes, 2002). Analyses of print DTC advertising content have found inaccuracies (Newby and Henry, 2002) and inadequate risk information (Roth, 1996).…”

Section: The Negative Impact Of Dtca On Consumersmentioning

confidence: 99%

Older adults' perceptions and understanding of direct‐to‐consumer advertising

Jones

Mullan

2006

Journal of Consumer Marketing

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Purpose -This paper aims to investigate older consumers' perceptions of the effects of direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA), their views on the amount and type of information that should be provided, and their understanding of information typically contained. Design/methodology/approach -Participants were 97 adult members of a social/education group, aged 55 to 87, who completed a questionnaire during the group's usual weekly meeting. There were four versions of the questionnaire; two types of medication (arthritis versus diabetes) and two ad formats (short versus long). Findings -There was little difference between the versions in the accuracy of participants' recall of key pieces of information, suggesting that providing additional information may convey little additional benefit. Participants reported limited perceived benefits of DTCA, and expressed concern that DTCA may cause people to ask their doctor for inappropriate medicines, rely more on medicines to solve their health, and become more confused.Practical implications -This study suggests that there is a need to consider consumers' perceptions of benefits and costs of DTCA when deciding whether to introduce it (e.g. in Australia) or remove it (e.g. New Zealand). Further, at least for older consumers, providing large quantities of information may increase cognitive demands without producing additional benefits. Originality/value -The majority of previous studies of DTCA have used either student samples (with manipulated salience of information) or general population surveys. This study utilised a sample of older adults, including 55 per cent with arthritis and 13 per cent with diabetes. Further, as this study used US ads with an Australian population, one can be confident that participants' knowledge of the medications was purely from the ads read and not from previous exposure.

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Section: The Negative Impact Of Dtca On Consumersmentioning

confidence: 99%

Older adults' perceptions and understanding of direct‐to‐consumer advertising

Jones

Mullan

2006

Journal of Consumer Marketing

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“…The pharmaceutical industry also pays for practitioners to serve as 'key opinion leaders' (Mintzes 2021). These strategies combined are proven to be effective for influencing prescribing (Donovan 1999).…”

Section: Regulation Of Pharmaceutical Industry Influence On Prescribersmentioning

confidence: 99%

Lessons from the Netherlands for Australia: cross-country comparison of trends in antidepressant dispensing 2013–2021 and contextual factors influencing prescribing

Wallis,

Dikken,

Sooriyaarachchi

et al. 2023

Aust. J. Prim. Health

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Background There is concern internationally about increasing antidepressant use. Most antidepressants are prescribed in general practice. The aim of this study was to compare trends in antidepressant dispensing in Australia and the Netherlands over the 9 years from 2013 to 2021, and to explore reasons for differences. Methods A convergent mixed methods study including analysis of publicly available antidepressant dispensing data obtained from Australia’s Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme and Repatriation Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme and the Dutch Foundation for Pharmaceutical Statistics and a search of relevant literature to compare contextual factors influencing prescribing were undertaken. Results In 2013, antidepressant dispensing rates in Australia were nearly twice as high as those in the Netherlands (82.5 versus 44.3 DDD/1000/day) and increased to be more than twice as high by 2021 (115.6 versus 48.8 DDD/1000/day). Antidepressant dispensing increased by 40% in Australia over the nine study years, but by only 10% in the Netherlands. Our scan of the literature confirms that while population factors, health system structure, and clinical guideline recommendations are largely consistent across the two countries, a multifaceted approach in the Netherlands involving improved access to non-pharmacological alternatives, initiatives targeting safer antidepressant prescribing, and tight regulation of pharmaceutical industry influence on prescribers, has successfully curtailed increasing antidepressant use. Conclusions Australia may learn from the Netherlands’ approach to redress increasing antidepressant use.

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Editorial: Advertising pharmaceuticals to Australians

Cited by 2 publications

References 0 publications

Older adults' perceptions and understanding of direct‐to‐consumer advertising

Older adults' perceptions and understanding of direct‐to‐consumer advertising

Lessons from the Netherlands for Australia: cross-country comparison of trends in antidepressant dispensing 2013–2021 and contextual factors influencing prescribing

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