De Scisciolo and Scheid have asked a critical question related to the advertising of prescription pharmaceuticals to consumers—can such advertising improve health education and health outcomes while also reducing health disparities among ethnic or socioeconomic groups in the population? While effectively executed marketing communications might be able to accomplish the goals above, De Scisciolo and Scheid’s well designed research makes clear that when these organizations are left to their own devices, they do a poor job of delivering on the more lofty potential of direct-to-consumer advertising. They sell more drugs, but do little to improve health education and health outcomes, nor are health disparities improved, despite FDA and industry guidelines designed to facilitate such outcomes. The authors offer some excellent policy recommendations that would likely be far more effective.

James L. Oakley, Lewis University

This volume is the go-to book for anyone wishing to find out the facts on direct to consumer magazine advertising of prescription drugs—whether you think the practice an outrageous and dangerous invasion of physicians’ prerogatives by evil pharmaceutical companies or long-needed consumer power to control health prices through competition.

William P. Brandon, Emeritus Metrolina Medical Foundation Distinguished Professor of Health Policy, University of North Carolina Charlotte