HP6 RELATIONSHIP OF DIRECT-TO-CONSUMER ADVERTISING SPENDING AND DRUG PRICING FOR THE TOP TWENTY DRUGS FROM 1997 TO 2000: AN EXPLORATORY STUDY


133Abstracts

medication (p = 0.017); more likely to become frustrated
(p = 0.003) and annoyed (p < 0.001) with the patient for
asking to try a medication; and less likely to provide
samples (p = 0.001) or a prescription (p < 0.001) for a
medication. 
CONCLUSION: Clinicians are amenable to patients
asking for drug information and medications, but their
level of receptiveness is associated with the source from
which the patient’s questions originate.

HP6

RELATIONSHIP OF DIRECT-TO-CONSUMER
ADVERTISING SPENDING AND DRUG PRICING
FOR THE TOP TWENTY DRUGS FROM 1997 TO
2000: AN EXPLORATORY STUDY
Parthan AG, Anantharaman RT, Shepherd MD
The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA

There exists an ongoing debate regarding the effect of
direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertising spending on drug
prices. The two opposite views are: (a) increase in DTC
advertising spending would be added to drug prices (b)
DTC advertising would increase competition and thus
reduce drug prices.
OBJECTIVE: Explore the relationship of DTC advertis-
ing spending and drug pricing for the top twenty drugs
from 1997 to 2000. 
METHODS: Top twenty drugs were selected on the basis
of their DTC advertising spending (source: Competitive
Media Reporting, NY) for 1997. For analysis, average
wholesale price (AWP) per unit was used from the Blue
Book AWP Unit pricing. For each of the top twenty drugs,
the following trend graphs were plotted for 1997 to 2000:
(a) the total DTC advertising spending and per unit price
of the drug; (b) the percent changes in the DTC advertis-
ing spending and drug price. The percent change in DTC
advertising spending and drug price for a year was 
calculated as percent change from the previous year.
RESULTS: Only sildenafil (Viagra) and sibutramine
(Meridia) showed an increase in the actual drug price
with an increase in the DTC advertising spending.
However, for these two drugs in year 2000, the percent
change in DTC advertising spending decreased and the
percent change in drug price increased. No trend was
evident from the graphs of the other eighteen drugs. On
an average DTC advertising spending for most of the
drugs decreased with time while drug prices continued to
increase. 
CONCLUSION: Results indicate a very weak relation-
ship between DTC advertising spending and drug prices.
The increase in drug price in spite of the decrease in the
DTC advertising spending contradicts both rationale i.e.
DTC advertising spending reduces drug price through
competition or increase in drug price is due to increase in
DTC advertising spending.

HP7

IMPACT OF DIRECT TO CONSUMER
ADVERTISING—THE CONSUMER SEARCH FOR
INFORMATION
Belazi DT1, Crawford A2, Pizzi L2
1Thomas Jefferson University & Abbott Laboratories,
Philadelphia, PA, USA; 2Thomas Jefferson University,
Philadelphia, PA, USA

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to identify
factors associated with consumers’ seeking various infor-
mation sources about medications sought in response to
direct to consumer advertising. 
METHODS: In the spring and summer of 1999, the FDA,
Division of Drug Marketing, Advertising, and Commu-
nication conducted a national telephone survey of 
adults regarding Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) promotion
of prescription drugs and its effects on visits to the doctor.
In addition to consumer attitudes, opinions and responses
to direct to consumer advertising, the survey also elicited
responses regarding consumer utilization of information
sources such as reference books, 800-telelphone number,
and health care providers. There were 1081 total respon-
dents, of whom 769 completed the required questions
regarding information sources. Chi Square analysis 
was used to assess associations between consumer 
demographic information and the different types of 
informational resources that consumers used after 
exposure of direct to consumer advertising.
RESULTS: The analysis showed significant associations
(p £ 0.05) between gender, race, education, health 
status, self-perceived knowledge of health, prescription
medication use, and internet use and many of the 
following information resources: reference books, 
asking friends/neighbors, 800-telephone number, primary
doctor, pharmacist, specialist, and nurse. Across all 
information sources, female gender, decreased health
status, low education, and higher than average medica-
tion use were the variables that had the strongest associ-
ations. A model was developed depicting the associations
between these findings. Results pertaining to specific
sources will be presented.
CONCLUSIONS: This study evaluated how different
consumers seek information from different sources as a
result of direct to consumer advertising. This study will
assist those interested in identifying and further educat-
ing consumers about their health and novel treatments or
therapies.

HP8

FDA REGULATORY ACTIONS AGAINST
MISLEADING OR UNSUBSTANTIATED
ECONOMIC AND QUALITY-OF-LIFE CLAIMS: AN
ANALYSIS OF WARNING LETTERS AND
NOTICES OF VIOLATION
Stewart KA, Neumann PJ
Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA