ArticleJournal of medical Internet research2011
Prevalence and Global Health implications of social media in direct-to-consumer drug advertising.
Article in Journal of medical Internet research, 2011. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 45 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
45 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- The use of social networking sites for public health practice and research: a systematic review.Journal of medical Internet research · 2014Pooled it
- Placement and Format of Risk Information on Direct-to-Consumer Prescription Drug Websites.Journal of health communication · 2017Trial
- Are Disease Awareness Links on Prescription Drug Websites Misleading? A Randomized Study.Journal of health communication · 2016Trial
- Trustworthiness of Web-Based Pharmacy Apps in Pakistan Based on the Mobile App Rating Scale: Content Analysis and Quality Evaluation.JMIR mHealth and uHealth · 2025Article
- Pharmacovigilance in the digital age: gaining insight from social media data.Experimental biology and medicine (Maywood, N.J.) · 2025Review
- Illicit Online Pharmacies: A Scoping Review.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2023Article
- Effects of Fear and Humor Appeals in Public Service Announcements (PSAs) on Intentions to Purchase Medications via Social Media.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Article
- The Use of Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) Pharmaceutical Advertisements in Televised and Print Formats as a Teaching Tool in a Pharmacy Curriculum.Pharmacy (Basel, Switzerland) · 2021Article
- Pharmacological Neuroenhancement: Current Aspects of Categorization, Epidemiology, Pharmacology, Drug Development, Ethics, and Future Perspectives.Neural plasticity · 2021Review
- Online sales compliance with the electronic cigarettes ban in India: a content analysis.International journal of public health · 2020Article
- Managing Illicit Online Pharmacies: Web Analytics and Predictive Models Study.Journal of medical Internet research · 2020Article
- Prevalence and Perceived Effectiveness of Pharmaceutical Digital Marketing among Community Pharmacies in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Questionnaire-Based Survey.Pharmacy (Basel, Switzerland) · 2020Article
- General Public Views, Attitudes, and Experiences toward Drug Safety in Dubai, United Arab Emirates: A Qualitative Approach.Pharmacy (Basel, Switzerland) · 2019Article
- Twitter-Based Detection of Illegal Online Sale of Prescription Opioid.American journal of public health · 2017Article
- Patterns of Twitter Behavior Among Networks of Cannabis Dispensaries in California.Journal of medical Internet research · 2017Article
- Direct to consumer advertising on websites of Peruvian naturopathic pharmacies.European journal of hospital pharmacy : science and practice · 2017Article
- Digital danger: a review of the global public health, patient safety and cybersecurity threats posed by illicit online pharmacies.British medical bulletin · 2016Review
- Fair Balance and Adequate Provision in Direct-to-Consumer Prescription Drug Online Banner Advertisements: A Content Analysis.Journal of medical Internet research · 2016Article
- The Tip of the Iceberg of Misleading Online Advertising Comment on "Trouble Spots in Online Direct-to-Consumer Prescription Drug Promotion: A Content Analysis of FDA Warning Letters".International journal of health policy and management · 2016Article
- Considering the Future of Pharmaceutical Promotions in Social Media Comment on "Trouble Spots in Online Direct-to-Consumer Prescription Drug Promotion: A Content Analysis of FDA Warning Letters".International journal of health policy and management · 2016Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
2 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundDirect-to-consumer advertising (DTCA), linked to inappropriate medication use and higher health care expenditures, is the fastest growing form of pharmaceutical marketing. DTCA is legal only in the United States and New Zealand. However, the advent of online interactive social media "Web 2.0" technologies-that is, eDTCA 2.0-may circumvent DTCA legal proscriptions.
objectiveThe purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence of DTCA of leading pharmaceutical company presence and drug product marketing in online interactive social media technologies (eDTCA 2.0).
methodsWe conducted a descriptive study of the prevalence of eDTCA 2.0 marketing in the top 10 global pharmaceutical corporations and 10 highest grossing drugs of 2009.
resultsAll pharmaceutical companies reviewed (10/10, 100%) have a presence in eDTCA 2.0 on Facebook, Twitter/Friendster, sponsored blogs, and really simple syndication (RSS) feeds. In addition, 80% (8/10) have dedicated YouTube channels, and 80% (8/10) developed health care communication-related mobile applications. For reviewed drugs, 90% (9/10) have dedicated websites, 70% (7/10) have dedicated Facebook pages, 90% (9/10) have health communications-related Twitter and Friendster traffic, and 80% (8/10) have DTCA television advertisements on YouTube. We also found 90% (9/10) of these drugs had a non-corporate eDTCA 2.0 marketing presence by illegal online drug sellers.
conclusionPharmaceutical companies use eDTCA 2.0 to market themselves and their top-selling drugs. eDTCA 2.0 is also used by illicit online drug sellers. Regulators worldwide must take into account the current eDTCA 2.0 presence when attempting to reach policy and safety goals.
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What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.