The biggest argument is that prescription drugs are pushed on consumers. I read this great study by the New England Journal of Medicine, which I found while looking for the 1959 issue, that addressed this promotion of prescription drugs to consumers. Do keep in mind that this study was done in 2002, so the statistics have most likely changed. The study found that spending on drugs had increased greatly and is "now the fastest growing component of the healthcare budget". The data was collected from IMS Health and Competetive Media Reporting. Spending on direct-to-consumer advertising is concentrated on only a few prescription drugs. According to the Table, in 2000, the 20 prescription drugs for which spending on direct-to-consumer advertising was greatest accounted for about 60 percent of the total industry spending on such advertising. 60%! That is a lot!
According to the study, many physicians and consumers are worried about these statistics. According to physicians, direct-to-consumer advertising has made their job harder because they have to answer patients questions and make sure the patient understands what they have seen on the television. This definitely seems plausible; I am sure that someone sees a commercial for a new drug for their condition and immediately want to get a prescription for it. To add to this article, I would say that the internet has also aided in this problem. So many people now-a-days go to WebMD, or google symptoms and go into the emergency room with printed papers. The nurses and doctors are then given the responsibility to help the patient get the correct answers and information.
Consumers are also concerned that direct-to-consumer advertising leads to unnecessary prescribing by the physician. Apparently there have been previous allegations of physicians participating in this. I acctually heard on the news recently that it is the most common reason for innappropriate prescribing. But they also addressed that the reason is that physicians are pressured by patients. This again leads back to the percieved problems of consumers asking too many questions and not being properly informed.
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But where by patients do not ask enough questions about the drugs, how do they get to know its side effects,or whether the right doses are prescribed efficiently? i bet it's always good to know what one takes into the body.Therefore it is wise for every patient to know what he/she is taking into the body.
ReplyDeletebellash2, asking questions about what your physician is perscirbing to you is a good thing. However I do not think those are the questions that alexandra is frowning upon.
ReplyDeleteTo me alexandra is addressing the problem of patients trying to be their own doctor. Many patients feel that they are "in the know" just because they read an article on the internet, in a magazine, or saw a special on television. Just because you can read a book or watch tv does not make you a qualified physicain.
I am going to go to the doctor with questions from now on. And I'll bring my other medicines with me so we can talk about it. I don't want to get sick from medicine because I withheld information from my doctor!
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