Should Drug Companies Be Advertising to Consumers?

Tamar Abrams moved to a small Rhode Island town after a difficult stretch in 2022–23 and found herself drawn to television ads for Ozempic. The upbeat spots, with a catchy jingle and scenes of people enjoying everyday activities, prompted her to ask her doctor about the drug even though she had never been diagnosed with diabetes.

Novo Nordisk’s direct-to-consumer advertising spending was estimated at $180 million in 2022, $189 million in 2023 and about $201 million by last year, as total industry spending on such ads topped an estimated $9 billion. The debate over direct-to-consumer prescription drug advertising has renewed momentum.

The F.D.A. loosened restrictions in 1997 to allow television ads that include a rapid-fire summary of risks, and the expansion of prescription coverage under Medicare Part D helped drive a surge in pharmaceutical advertising. Research shows ads increase patient requests and prescription rates, and advertising is more prevalent in areas with larger populations over 65.

United States, Rhode Island

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