Drugs and direct-to-consumer advertising – the right prescription
In 1997 when the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clarified ways pharmaceutical companies could meet what had previously been vague guidelines, the direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertising boom for prescription drugs and medical devices was started. Some people may regret that day, especially hearing commercials listing the potential side effects of a particular drug. But it dramatically changed the way pharmaceutical companies sell their products.