Direct-to-Consumer Advertising and Shared Liability for Pharmaceutical Manufacturers

Abstract
During the last several years, the marketing of prescription drugs has undergone substantial change, facilitated by changes in the regulatory environment governing direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA). Since the release in 1997 of new draft guidance by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA),1 consumer-oriented drug marketing has become pervasive, particularly in broadcast media. Ninety-one percent of US individuals report having seen consumer-oriented drug advertisements, and the pharmaceutical industry spent nearly $2.5 billion on DTCA in 2000.2