What Do HCPs Value From Direct to Consumer Advertising

In the life sciences industry, few tools are as important as direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertising. However, in a recent study conducted by AnswerSuite, a Syneos Health company, we discovered that healthcare providers (HCP) across the country?do not?think DTC advertising is doing enough. Read the full article here.

DTC advertising is designed to inform consumers about pharmaceuticals and treatment options, and encourage them to engage with their HCPs. For example, in the field of mental health, there were over 61 million visits to psychiatrists in the last 12 months, and 91% of those visits resulted in the patient walking away with a prescription. Psychiatrists reported that DTC advertising is effective in providing information to consumers as over half reported that it assists in conversations with patients.

However, at the same time, only 42% of HCPs surveyed across all fields of medicine believe DTC advertising is effectively?providing information to consumers that encourages engagement. In the United States, manufacturers continuously spend over $6.5 billion annually promoting products to consumers, yet less than half of HCPs believe it helps patients' long term.?According to these professionals, DTC advertising supports their work by providing information and encourages consumers to engage with their HCPs, but it falls short on long-term medication adherence benefits.

When a patient requests a particular drug, HCPs are likely to grant that request 57% of the time, but more patient education is needed. The survey found that when HCPs do not prescribe based on patient requests, they cite low patient education regarding their condition and how the medications could benefit them.

DTC advertising offers real benefits in supporting HCPs. Increased awareness of both diseases and the treatments available for those diseases increases patients’ willingness to utilize those treatments. “A patient may recognize a prescription I am proposing from an advertisement they saw and be more receptive to taking it,” said one HCP who participated in the survey. Patients need to be engaged in their treatment and the more they know, the better positioned they are to adhere to a treatment plan.

Read the full article to learn more about how DTC advertising could attract more diverse patient types and lead to long-term medical adherence.

The?Syneos Health Insights Hub?generates future-focused, actionable insights to help biopharmaceutical companies better execute and succeed in a constantly evolving environment. Driven by dynamic research, our perspectives are informed by our insights-driven product development model and crafted by subject matter experts focused on real answers to customer challenges to help guide decision making and investment.