Pharma "a nice juicy target" for "Pres" Obama, DTC expert claims, TV and social media hit

The prospects for direct-to-consumer advertising in the USA in the event of a Democratic party victory for Senator Barack Obama (Illinois) in the presidential election next month are for more regulation, but no outright ban, according to one of the country's leading commentators on the issue. Bob Erlich, chief executive of specialist marketing firm, DTC Perspectives, claims that it will be politically expedient for a Democrat-controlled Congress to hold public hearings into individual pharmaceutical marketing campaigns, because "Main Street dislikes drug companies almost as much as bailed out banks. Once the political opportunities wane for attacks on financial companies we can expect drug companies to be a nice juicy target."

One challenge for drugmakers, Mr Erlich argues, is that "DTC claims are subjectively reviewed. What may not be seen as misleading now may be in the future." If the Food and Drug Administration is directed by the new administration or by Congress to take a more critical view of advertisements, creative approaches to communication will be stifled, at least on television. A Republican victory by Sen John McCain (Arizona) is not considered likely to bring any relief to drugmakers, as Congress is almost certain to remain under Democratic control and Sen McCain is no supporter of the research-based pharmaceutical sector (Marketletters passim).

Print media and Internet could benefit from stifling of television DTC advertising