Advertising medications involves overcoming a range of ethical dilemmas and economic concerns. Among the core issues that the present-day pharmaceutical industry needs to address, the dilemma of direct-to-customer advertising (DTC) deserves a mention. Though DSTC may lead to the propensity toward self-medicalization in some patients, the specified strategy is also likely to increase the extent of health literacy and awareness in patients, which is why it should be promoted.
The advantages of DTC as a means of promoting medication to the target audiences are quite vast. Since DTC offers core information about the relevant products, customers will quickly develop a general understanding of the core health issues, their main symptoms, and the essential means of addressing these health concerns (Phelps, 2018). Therefore, DTC should be regarded as an important addition to the current set of patient education tools, as well as strategies for overall improvement in patients’ well-being.
In turn, the costs of TC advertising are quite a few, which makes the idea of DTC a particularly positive change in the approach of drug advertisement and promotion. The core disadvantage of DTC concerns the threat of self-medicalization among some patients who are inclined toward developing anxiety about their health issues (Phelps, 2018). However, one could argue that, with the introduction of the necessary information into DTC advertisements, pharmaceutical companies could inform patients about the key risks of self-medicalization.
Though DTC may lead to side effects such as patients’ self-medicalization, its overall effects are believed to be positive, involving primarily an increase in the extent of patients’ health literacy and awareness. Specifically, DTC will shed light on common health concerns and provide patients with general information concerning the key symptoms of common health issues, as well as the means of managing them. Finally, DTC will help shape patients’ understanding of the potential costs. Thus, DTC should be considered an overall positive change in the promotion of pharmaceutical products.
Reference
Phelps, C. E. (2018). Health economics (6th ed.). Pearson Publishing.