When you hear the words “prescription drug,” what comes to your mind? Addiction? Crime? Abuse? Google provides insight into what people wonder about when searching “prescription drug.” The top two questions people mostly ask are, “what are the most commonly abused prescription drugs?” and “what is the drug legend?” Those results show us that people lack knowledge of prescription drugs in our lives.
Consumers have their right to know what pharmaceutical companies have in their products, and television ads are the widest and strongest way to spread information. More knowledge makes patients more prepared, and the future advantage can improve the efficiency and the standardization of U.S. medical system. To protect doctors and patients, and help them receive truthful information, we have to promote prescription drugs awareness.
While doctors are seen as the primary source of knowledge to most people, we should not solely rely on them. According to the research of Qual Saf Health Care, two-thirds of U.S. residents were exposed to one or more medication errors, which means our country should improve individual knowledge of drugs usage.
People should be conscious of healthy choices and make better decisions. Television advertising is a major source of promoting information to consumers, who need to know what goes into their health care, like ingredients, functions and possible reactions. This is important because people have legal rights to be informed. Early in 1914, Congress passed the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, which emphasized this indispensable right for U.S. citizens.
The contents of prescription ads are more specific and normative, too. In fact, the FDA has detailed a lot more rules to standardize ads for prescription drugs. All ads present balance, by describing both the risk and function of the drug, including mention of every risk on the drugs’ labels. For product claim ads, it must accurately state an FDA-approved use for the drug, and it should mention the medicine is for prescription only.
All the rules and limitations will protect the veracity of the drug companies, and people will get fair information.
The long-time benefits of prescription drugs ads not only bring consumers and patients advantages, but also provide advantages to the whole medical system in the U.S. The system will work more effectively and standardly.
Hospital, pharmaceutical companies, and patients will build a close synergy. The interaction between all three will be more effective because of the higher knowledge level of public.
More consumers will go into doctor's office in order to ask about conditions that they have seen on TV ads. In that way, doctors can explain the functions of the drug in more detailed and professional ways when they write the orders. Patients are also much easier to understand their instructions.
At the same time, the regulation of medical system will be more transparent. Drug companies have the responsibilities to provide information fairly and honestly, and the authenticity of their ads are verified by doctors and patients.To both keep consumers’ rights and to build complete medical system, prescription drugs ads have to remain on our television.
Xinyi Yan is a senior studying strategic communication at Ohio University. Please note that the views and opinions of the columnists do not reflect those of The Post. Where do you go to learn about prescription medication? Let Xinyi know by emailing her at xy307715@ohio.edu.
