Reply #42: I hate direct to consumer advetising

[Dr Ron]

I've always considered drug company advertising/promotions a pain, but particularly dislike direct to consumer advertising.

All other things being equal, I tend to avoid prescribing the medications most heavily advertised by the drug companies. Patients have enough misconceptions. We don't need them coming in asking for specific drugs because of a commercial they've seen or a mailing they received. Plus, for obvious reasons, the advertised medications are the newest and most expensive. Sometimes the new drug is better, but often it isn't.