Drug Ads Misinform Patients and Raise Health Care Costs
Direct-to-consumer drug ads are prohibited in almost all countries besides the US. By leading doctors to prescribe unnecessary and more expensive treatments at the request of their patients, they also raise health care costs across the board.
Even if all of those drug ads filling the TV and computer screens aren’t likely to go away soon, advocates hold out hope that regulators could at least require them to be more informative and comprehensible. (Manuel Breva Colmeiro / Moment via Getty Images)
If you live in the United States, you’ve likely seen drug commercials like this one:
“If you’re living with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis or active psoriatic arthritis, symptoms can sometimes hold you back,” a cheery voice says as a woman sips a hot drink in her car while looking out toward the ocean. “Now there’s Skyrizi, so you can be all in with clear skin,” the voice declares in an even more upbeat tone. The woman throws off her white cardigan, revealing a blue bathing suit and unblemished limbs, before running into the ocean.
The commercial then lists some of the medication’s side effects, such as serious allergic reactions and an increased likelihood of infection. Other risks are described online: liver problems, headaches, stomach pain, low red blood cell count, and fungal skin infections. The list goes on.
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