The direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertising rules for drugs were just updated for the first time in over 16 years.
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Lack of patient understanding and occasionally even misinformation in DTC drug advertising has been an issue for decades.
Largely due to spikes in online drug advertising during the pandemic, the guardrails for DTC ads were recently updated (final rule in the comments).
The new rule requires that DTC ads:
-Clearly spell out potential side effects
-Explain when to avoid the drug
-Present the information in "consumer-friendly language and terminology that is readily understandable"
-Make the major statement in the ad obvious, removing any distracting audio or visuals
However, the new rule doesn't address misleading social media content from influencers that promote drugs...
Which were another major driver of the #marketing issues since the pandemic.
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The US and New Zealand are the only markets that allow DTC advertising of drugs.
A study from 2023 (also in comments) found that the less valuable the drug is, the more marketing you find DTC.
“Value” being defined from ratings of the drugs’ added benefit, safety, and strength of evidence compared with existing therapies by independent health technology assessment agencies in Canada, France, and Germany.
"One explanation might be that drugs with substantial therapeutic value are likely to be recognized and prescribed without advertising, so manufacturers have greater incentive to promote drugs of lesser value."
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Hopefully this new #advertising transparency rule will help align everyone's incentives toward value.
If #pharma sees changes in sales of lower therapeutic value from this rule, they may adjust their strategies to align with higher value drugs in the future.
Which is also better for patients, payers, and society.
Creative Director/Copywriter: TBWA\Chiat, Grey, BBDO, McCann, Team One, DDB, Vayner, VML, many, many more.
2moMe and my art partners have been trying to tell this to pharma agencies for years now. Mostly, no one listens. And if we actually get a decent campaign past the CDs, account, legal, clients and focus groups destroy any semblance of an idea. Very sad.