Disease Awareness and Prescription Drug Communications on Television: Evidence for Conflation and Misleading Product Impressions

https://www.fda.gov/drugs/spotlight-cder-science/disease-awareness-and-prescription-drug-communications-television-evidence-conflation-and-misleading?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery In this Spotlight on CDER science, CDER researchers conducted two experimental studies among adult asthma patients to determine how the similarity, proximity, and frequency of exposure to a disease awareness communication and prescription drug television advertisement impact consumer perception and understanding of the benefits and risks of a prescription drug. Consumers sometimes conflate the information in disease awareness communications with information presented in prescription drug promotional materials. Previous CDER research has found that conflation occurs when disease awareness and drug promotional materials are viewed in print or on the web. Knowing which advertising features cause conflation is important because it offers an opportunity for pharmaceutical companies to consider these features when developing prescription drug advertising and disease awareness communications.