Advertisements provide a way for people to get informed about new treatments
Physicians aren’t aware of every single drug and treatment for every condition; prescription drug advertisements provide a way for patients to learn about new drugs and treatments and self-advocate to their care providers.
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The Argument
DTC (direct-to-consumer advertising) has been an effective way to inform people about potential treatments for health issues. As pharmaceuticals continue to evolve and new treatments are created for various health issues, even doctors themselves can’t always keep up. Doctors are also human and not infallible. It is vital for all patients to be equipped with the knowledge of what treatments are available to them so that they are able to self-advocate on behalf of their own health. With the advent of websites like WebMD, patients can do research on their health issues and be armed with greater knowledge about their own health and how to navigate it with a healthcare provider. DTC is no different and is an invaluable way to get that information to people everywhere. [1]
Counter arguments
It has been documented several times over that people searching for their physical symptoms is not a good idea and only leads patients to self-diagnose and potentially take medications based on their own diagnosis. This can have deadly effects, and can also create a sense of distrust in those in the medical profession to correctly diagnose and treat them. While doctors are not above error, it does not mean that they are less knowledgeable about the medical profession than someone who is not a doctor. DTC undermines the authority of doctors to do their jobs, while potentially putting patients’ lives at risk just for the sake of profit. [2][3]