TV Drug Ads Play on Emotions, U.S. Study Says
By Susan Heavey
WASHINGTON (Reuters) Jan 30 - Television drug advertisements rely
heavily on emotional appeals rather than comprehensive disease
information to attract consumers' attention, according to one of the
first studies to analyze such commercials.
The study, published in the Annals of Family Medicine Monday,
investigated dozens of TV drug ads for some of the nation's top-
selling drugs at those times when most viewers tune in.
Researchers analyzed the ads based on how they portrayed the
medication and disease, emotions and lifestyles changes. They found
companies used various tactics to appeal to viewers with limited facts
that could oversimplify their decisions.
"The benefits of prescription drugs are rarely that black and white,"
lead author Dominick Frosch, an assistant professor of medicine at the
University of California in Los Angeles, told Reuters.
"Choosing the wrong prescription drug can cause serious health
problems and it can also be very costly to the larger society," he
added.
While such strategies are frequently used for other consumer products,
they raise questions when it comes to pharmaceuticals, Frosch and
other researchers wrote.
"Our findings suggest the need to reconsider the distinction between
selling soap or other consumer products and selling prescription
drugs," they said.
In their review, researchers analyzed 38 commercials that aired over
the course of four weeks of prime-time television in mid-2004. They
coded ads for common themes such as humor or product information, then
rated how often each was used.
While all the ads met regulations, they often made vague claims, the
researchers said. About one-quarter offered details on the cause of a
disease or who was at risk.
They also found that nearly all ads relied on characters who seemed
happy after taking a drug or otherwise showed positive emotions. Some
mentioned changing habits in addition to medication, but none offered
such change as an alternative.
Print drug ads have been analyzed before, but this study is one of the
first aimed at televised versions and comes as Congress prepares to
consider allowing drugmakers to pay U.S. regulators to have their
commercials screened before airing.
Prescription drug ads have raised concerns since the Food and Drug
Administration loosened restrictions on them in 1997.
Since then critics have charged both TV and print ads are misleading
and encourage consumers to seek drugs they don't need. Companies and
other supporters have said they can educate consumers about possible
treatments.
Industry lobbying group the Pharmaceutical Researchers and
Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) released voluntary guidelines in 2005
to address the concerns, but some say they fall short.
PhRMA criticized the study for using ads that aired before its
guidelines were implemented. Early indications show "that
advertisements airing since the Principles took effect have tended to
be more educational and informative," said the group's senior vice
president, Ken Johnson.
Still, Frosch said the guidelines don't offer specifics and avoid the
issue of emotional appeals. "I don't think prescription drug
advertising needs to be banned, but it does need to be more
responsible," he told Reuters.
This spring Frosch will launch a related study on consumers' reaction
to TV drug ads, with results expected next year.
© 1994-2007 by Medscape
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/551501
TV Drug Ads Fail to Disclose the Real Risks of Prescription Drugs, Says Study 
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