Asking a doctor versus referring to the Internet: A comparison study on consumers’ reactions to DTC (direct-to-consumer) prescription drug advertising

Abstract

This study examines how consumers who responded to direct-to-consumer (DTC) prescription drug advertising by either talking with their doctors or seeking the Internet differ from those who did not respond to DTC advertising in a number of meaningful ways. This exploratory study provides an initial look at factors that are influential in discriminating information responders from nonresponders to DTC Rx ads. Consumers more attentive to and having more positive attitudes towards Rx ads and consumers having lower trust in their doctors and perceiving higher empowerment by Rx ads are more likely to respond for additional information after seeing Rx ads.

Keywords:

• DTC advertising
• prescription drug advertising
• consumers’ actions
• asking a doctor
• referring to the Internet