DTC drug advertising is having an adverse influence on the growing health care crisis.

Here’s how I figure. Pretty much every drug ad tells prospective users to “talk with their doctor” before taking the medication. That’s going to require an office visit, and that’s $75 bucks on the low side. All the ads say you should take a “simple blood test” to check for liver problems. Well, that’s another $100 bucks or so. Then all the drug ads report long lists of side effects that may require another trip to the doctor and another $75 bucks. Say that only happens about 10% of the time. Here’s the costs: $75+$100+(0.10x$75) = $925. This cost does not include the actual cost of the drug. Ok. So if the DTC ads persuade just 0.5% of U.S. adults to do all this, health care spending would go up an estimated $971 million per year. If the drug ads persuade 0.6% of U.S. adults to do this, spending goes up to about $1.2 billion. And the thing is no one has even paid for the drug yet!

Explore posts in the same categories: U.S. health care crisis, Unnecessary health care spending

Tags: DTC advertising, U.S. health care crisis

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