Twelve Years' Experience with Direct-to-Consumer Advertising of Prescription Drugs in Canada: A Cautionary Tale

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 4; no. 5; p. e5699
• Main Authors: Mintzes, Barbara, Morgan, Steve, Wright, James M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 27.05.2009; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Accountability; Advertising; Advertising as Topic - economics; Anesthesiology; Antiretroviral drugs; Black boxes; Brand names; Canada; Celecoxib; Community Participation - economics; Consumer advertising; Corporate image; COX-2 inhibitors; Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions; Drugs; Evidence-Based Healthcare/Health Services Research and Economics; Evidence-Based Healthcare/Quality and Safety in Medical Practice; FDA approval; Health; Heart attacks; Humans; Inflation, Economic; Internet; Legislation, Drug - economics; Literacy; Marketing of Health Services - economics; Mass Media; Medicine; Non-Clinical Medicine/Communication in Health Care; Non-Clinical Medicine/Health Policy; Pharmaceutical industry; Prescription drugs; Prescription Drugs - economics; Prescriptions (Drugs); Primary care; Print advertising; Product safety; Progress reports; Purchasing power parity; Safety; Television; Television advertising; United States; Canada; United States > US
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0005699

Direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) of prescription drugs is illegal in Canada as a health protection measure, but is permitted in the United States. However, in 2000, Canadian policy was changed to allow 'reminder' advertising of prescription drugs. This is a form of advertising that st...