142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition

Home Events & Meetings Annual Meeting Schedule & Program

Online Program

Annual Meeting Recordings are now available for purchase

302309
Consumer Sunshine: Examination of Direct-to-Consumer Advertising Expenditures and the Need for Transparency

142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition (November 15 - November 19, 2014): http://www.apha.org/events-and-meetings/annual
Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Timothy Mackey, MAS, PhD , Dept of Anesthesiology, UC San Diego - School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA
Raphael Cuomo, M.P.H., C.P.H. , Family and Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA
Bryan Liang, MD, JD, PhD , School of Medicine (UCSD),, University of California, San Diego,, San Diego, CA
Background: Pharmaceutical marketing is poised to undergo a shift from physician-directed promotion to direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) in response to increased scrutiny of physician-industry relationships and the recently finalized federal transparency regulations.  However, publicly available data on DTCA expenditure has not been readily assessed. 

Objective:  We wished to assess the availability and validity of DTCA data currently publicly available.

Design: Descriptive study of publicly available DTCA data and DTCA sub-categories originating from marketing firms that monitor, collect, assess and re-report the data. We examined multiple data sources for DTCA aggregate expenditures and compared them for variation.  We also examined expenditure for the subcategory of Internet and digital forms of DTCA (eDTCA).

Setting: Review conducted assessing publicly available data sources accessible on the Internet from: 3/1/13 – 5/1/13.

Main Outcome Measure(s): Reported expenditure on aggregate DTCA and the subcategory of eDTCA.

Results: Data from multiple data sources indicates that aggregate DTCA expenditures have declined during the period of 2005-2010.  However, identified data sources reported variation in reported expenditure declines, ranging from $177-$900 million.  Despite aggregate DTCA expenditure declines, the eDTCA subcategory experienced increases over a similar period with an estimated 109% increase from 2005-2009 based on Nielsen Co. data.

Learning Areas:

Public health or related laws, regulations, standards, or guidelines
Public health or related organizational policy, standards, or other guidelines
Public health or related public policy
Public health or related research

Learning Objectives:
Identify trends in direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) of prescription drugs given increasing scrutiny of physician-industry relationships using publicly available sources. Analyze expenditure for the subcategory of digital forms of DTCA (eDTCA) and determine if trends are similar to that of traditional forms of DTCA (print, TV, radio, etc.) Formulate a policy proposal similar to transparency requirements for physician-directed promotion that manufacturers should be required to accurately disclose DTCA expenditure directly to regulators and the public.

Keyword(s): Marketing, Health Care Costs

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I hold a masters degree in health law and policy and a PhD in global health. I am a co-author on several peer-review manuscripts on global health policy and trade related issues have also given oral presentations at several international and domestic public health conferences including APHA.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Back to: 4180.0: Community Issues (Other Drugs)