The Role of the Consumer's Attitudes toward Direct-to-Consumer Advertising of Prescription Drugs on Ad Effectiveness and the Behavior of Consumers and Physicians

Data from 1081 adults surveyed by the FDA were analyzed to explore consumers' attitudes toward direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) of prescription drugs, and the relation between these attitudes and health related consumption behaviors. We report the favorableness of consumers' reactions to DTCA, and more importantly, demonstrate that consumers' attitudes toward DTCA are related to whether they search for more information about a drug that is advertised, and ask their physician about the drug. Finally, we document how consumers' attitudes towards DTCA relate to the prescription writing behavior of their physicians. Mediation analyses that more fully explicate these findings are discussed.