The BMJ is warning that Europe should avoid the problems stemming from DTC ads that are plaguing the US and New Zealand:
The authors warn that allowing DTC ads in Europe will not help consumers make better decisions about medicines but will increase the pharmaceuticalization of health and will expose more of the population to new medicines (many of which offer little benefit over existing medicines) at a time when long term safety is unknown.
It will also rapidly drive up drug costs with major implications for already stretched health budgets – all of which will be of net harm to the overall public health, they warn.
