Direct To Consumer Advertising – Legal Drug Pushing
Many of you will remember when drug abuse had to do with alcohol and illegal drug abuse, ie heroin, marijuana, cocaine, etc. Today, prescription drug abuse, or pharm abuse is creating more deaths and physical health problems than illegal drugs. How did this happen?
To better explain the situation, Steve Hayes of Novus Detox wrote an excellent article describing how prescription pharmaceuticals became mainstream drugs of abuse.
Factually, it all started with the FDA or Food and Drug Administration Deputy Commissioner making an unprecedented change that now endangers more Americans and Canadians than it ever was claimed to benefit.
“DIRECT TO CONSUMER
Direct to consumer advertising (“DTC”) is the name given to advertising prescription drugs in magazines, newspapers and television. Prior to 1997, the FDA rules said, “Advertisements promoting the medical use of prescription drugs must contain a “brief summary” of all important information about the advertised drug, including its side effects, contraindications and effectiveness. In addition, advertisements broadcast over radio, TV or through telephone communications systems must include a “major statement” prominently disclosing all of the major risks associated with the drug.”
Prior to August of 1997, print advertisements for prescription drugs were able to meet the “brief summary” requirement by including the risk-related sections of drug labeling together with the advertising copy. As the drug companies looked wistfully at the enormous marketing potential of television, they saw that there was no way to provide the required information about the drug in 30 second or one minute television ads.
Did Congress act? No, the FDA made the August 1997 rule change quietly and without consulting Congress or really anyone else. Their change allowed the drug companies to “…include information about any major risks, as well as instructions for how consumers can easily obtain more detailed information about the drug’s approved uses and risks.”
FDA Lead Deputy Commissioner Michael J. Friedman, M.D was one of the driving forces behind this change long sought by the drug companies. Dr. Friedman said in 1997, “Today’s action can help promote greater consumer awareness about prescription drugs. By describing realistic standards for television advertising of prescription drugs, we hope to end the uncertainty which has plagued both consumers and industry about the use of this medium. The FDA is committed to making sure that accurate and complete information is available to consumers.”
Conclusion:
Lowered standards of advertising ethics has led the US and Canada toward greater health, ethics and financial troubles. Consumers thinking they know how to self-prescribe are demanding doctors fill their prescriptions. Worse yet, some doctors are financially benefiting from these actions by shorter or omitted full patient examinations prior to writing prescriptions, frudulently written prescriptions and simply neglect of medical ethics.
Tibor A. Palatinus is a Drug Rehab and Detox Advisor
1-866-266-6616
