Effects Of Drug Advertising On Lyrica

Drug advertising for prescription medications comes in many forms including ads in magazines or newspaper, TV commercials, radio broadcasts, brochures, etc. It was in the mid 80s when drug companies started to direct information on prescription drugs to consumers instead of only focusing information on the physicians or pharmacists (FDA, 2012). The change seen in prescription drug promotion towards the public is known as direct-to-consumer advertising. This type of advertising is completely directed to a general audience rather than healthcare providers.

Lyrica (pregabalin) is drug that binds to calcium channel in the central nervous system, which inhibits excitatory neurotransmitter release. Pregabalin has proven effects on partial onset seizures and neuropathic pain that is seen in fibromyalgia, diabetic peripheral neuropathy, and postherpetic neuralgia (Harvey, 2012). There are several advertisements that promote Lyrica to both consumers and health care professionals.

There are media commercials that are aired on television that are directed to consumers and is also found on the drug company’s website (Pfizer, 2013). A woman who is diagnosed with fibromyalgia is the main character of the commercial. She portrays the pain she is having from the fibromyalgia and after talking to her doctor and taking Lyrica, her pain has gotten better and she then portrays herself in a social setting with friends and appears pain free (Pfizer, 2013). The print advertisements directed to the public can be found in consumer magazines and websites. An advertisement found on a website that is directed to the general portrays the same woman that was seen in the media advertisement with visible information about the drug (Drugs.com, 2012). In Consulta...

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...umer advertisements on Lyrica is aimed at the public to attract individuals who are suffering from fibromyalgia to speak to their doctor about obtaining this prescription drug and in order for health care professionals to prescribe any type of drug, information needs to be given to that specific audience as well. It is imperative that the prescriber know what drugs are being advertised in today’s media. As a future prescriber, there will be possible patients that will seek my attention to learn more about drugs that they have seen on commercials or magazines and it will be my job to provide them with this information. Sometimes drug advertising may be misleading and as a prescriber it is my role to ensure that drug promotion is accurate. Advertising plays an important aspect in both the consumers and prescribers outlook on prescription medications, such as Lyrica.