The Ethical Aspects of Direct-to-Consumer Advertising of Prescription Drugs in the United Kingdom: Physician versus Consumer Views

This article reports the findings of two surveys examining U.K. physician and consumer attitudes to the introduction of direct to consumer advertising (DTCA), and its likely impact, if implemented, in the strategically important U.K.

The Ethical Aspects of Direct-to-Consumer Advertising of Prescription Drugs in the United Kingdom: Physician versus Consumer Views

Jon ReastHull University Business School, UK

Dayananda Palihawadana and Haseeb ShabbirLeeds University Business School, UK

INTRODUCTION

Direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) of prescription drugs, first established in the large U.S prescription drugs market in the early 1980s (Hoek and Gendall, 2002), has yet to be embraced around the world, where the “promotion” of prescription drugs tends to be outlawed. The advent of DTCA in the United States has engendered much ethical debate (Hensley and Vranica, 2004; Joseph and Spake, 2006; Lee,...

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