PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Jon Reast
AU  - Dayananda Palihawadana
AU  - Haseeb Shabbir
TI  - The Ethical Aspects of Direct to Consumer Advertising of Prescription Drugs in the United Kingdom: Physician versus Consumer Views
AID  - 10.2501/S0021849908080458
DP  - 2008 Sep 01
TA  - Journal of Advertising Research
PG  - 450--464
VI  - 48
IP  - 3
4099  - http://www.journalofadvertisingresearch.com/content/48/3/450.short
4100  - http://www.journalofadvertisingresearch.com/content/48/3/450.full
SO  - J Advert Res2008 Sep 01; 48
AB  - This article reports the findings of two surveys examining U.K. physician and consumer attitudes to the introduction of direct to consumer advertising (DTCA), and its likely impact, if implemented, in the strategically important U.K. prescription drug market. The findings, in general, suggest that neither physicians nor consumers are positively disposed to the advertising of prescriptions drugs, although significant differences in attitudes toward such policies emerged between the two groups based upon “ethics and approval levels,” “ethics-related impacts,” and the “impact of unbranded disease awareness campaigns.” The findings for consumers and physicians do not at present support the extension of DTCA in the United Kingdom, but are supportive of a continuation of unbranded “disease awareness” campaigns. Guidance for practitioners within the established U.S. DTCA marketplace is also provided.