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Direct to Consumer Advertising

Providing Accurate Information about Disease and Treatment Options

America’s pharmaceutical research and biotechnology companies understand that accurate information about disease and treatment options makes patients and doctors better partners. And getting that information to patients and consumers is the goal of direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertising about prescription medicines.

DTC advertising increases people’s awareness of disease and available treatments. Studies show DTC advertising brings patients into their doctors’ offices and starts important doctor-patient conversations about health that might otherwise not take place.

We also understand that people sometimes have opinions about prescription medicine advertising. We want to hear from you, so our Office of Accountability accepts comments from the public.

PhRMA’s Guiding Principles on Direct to Consumer Advertising about Prescription Medicines reflect our commitment to improving the educational value of prescription medicine advertisements.

Our DTC Guiding Principles, which were recently revised and strengthened, provide guidance to pharmaceutical research and biotechnology companies on ways to ensure that DTC communications provide accurate, accessible and useful information to patients and consumers. The updated Principles took effect on March 2, 2009.

Related Information

America’s Pharmaceutical Research Companies Enhance Voluntary Guidelines on Direct to Consumer Advertising

Affirming its commitment to responsible direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertising that benefits public health, the PhRMA Board of Directors has adopted measures to strengthen the PhRMA Guiding Principles on Direct to Consumer Advertisements about Prescription Medicines.

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