Direct-to-Consumer Marketing: Why?

     The United States is one of two countries on the planet that allow direct-to-consumer marketing, probably because businesses in the United States tend to only value profit. They probably assume that patients who don't know about their product won't be able to use it. One source estimated that $6.5 billion dollars were spent on direct-to-consumer marketing in 2020. The problem is that direct-to-consumer marketing, besides being terrible for the economy, is dangerous for patients, and prevents doctors from providing the best care possible.

    Thanks to direct-to-consumer marketing, many patients see a commercial for a medication that they don't need but that mentioned some problem that the patient has noticed in themselves. For the simple reason of being able to relate to something that the commercial mentioned, patients think that they have found their "cure". The reality is that for most drugs advertised on television or the internet, the average patient will likely risk more from adverse effects of the medication than they will likely benefit from using it.

    This also bleeds into pressure imposed on doctors. Patients can feel like they "need" the drug that they saw on TV, so they'll pressure their doctors into prescribing it for them, even if the doctor knows that the patient likely won't benefit from it. This prevents the doctor from being able to make their own informed decisions on what would most benefit the patient, plus possibly dealing with the side effects of the medication (prescribing cascade anyone?). 

    Overall, I believe the United States would be significantly better off if direct-to-consumer marketing was outlawed. Risks to patients and doctors aside, the literal billions of dollars spent on marketing could be put toward something actually productive like lowering drug prices.

SNL Direct-to-Consumer Drug Marketing