Abstract

The pharmaceutical industry uses various marketing tactics directed to both health care professionals and consumers alike. Advertising directly to consumers has proven controversial. Critics argue that direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) promotes overmedicalization and unwarranted demand for prescription drugs. This study investigated (1) whether consumers’ level of knowledge about a disease or perceived knowledge causes them to seek information from a physician and (2) whether DTCA increases consumers’ perceptions of their level of disease knowledge. Results suggest that DTCA has no meaningful impact on perceived knowledge and intention to communicate with the physician. However, consumers’ perceived level of knowledge predicted intention to communicate with the physician. These findings have numerous implications for the pharmaceutical industry, regulators and patients alike.