Correspondence: Claus Møldrup, Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy Section for Social Pharmacy Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences University of Copenhagen Universitetsparken 2 Copenhagen Ø DK-2100, Denmark. Tel: +45 35 30 64 52; Fax: +45 35 30 60 50; e-mail: cm@farma.ku.dk Web: http://www.dfuni.dk/index.php/Moeldrup__Claus/755/0/

¹has obtained his MSc pharm and is Inlicensing Manager at Ferrosan A/S, a nutraceutical company active in Scandinavia, Ukraine, Poland, Russia and other CIS countries. His main focus is on sourcing novel products, brand acquisitions within fast moving consumer goods and lifestyle medicines. In his former job as Project Manager at Midas Pharma, he has specialised in sourcing innovative technologies meeting customer demands worldwide.

²has obtained his PhD (pharm) and is Associate Professor of Social Pharmacy at the University of Copenhagen and Visiting Professor at INSEAD. His research is focused on lay and professionals' understanding and use of modern medicines, for example lifestyle drugs, pharmacogenetics, doping, medical marketing and future outlook on the concept of medicine. He is also CEO of the consultant company MedicoMonitor ApS.

Received 7 August 2007; Revised 7 August 2007.

Abstract

The patient's perspective on direct-to-consumer is seldom offered in the literature, even though we want to put patients first in the healthcare system. Therefore, this survey attempts to shed light on the attitudes towards the direct-to-consumer advertising of drugs in the Danish population. A quantitative internet-based survey on a representative population from ages 18 to 70 was used to collect the empirical data. A total of 3,001 respondents participated in the study. A total of 18.84 per cent of respondents (58.31 per cent male and 41.69 per cent female) have indicated that advertising prescription drugs is acceptable. The number is 61.24 per cent for over-the-counter (OTC) drugs. A total of 58.18 per cent are familiar with the role of drug companies as provider of most healthcare information on the internet. About 42.57 per cent of respondents said that they were 'indifferent' about this role. About 55 per cent of respondents indicate that they are not influenced to buy the product from the drug company behind a campaign. Generally, Danes find it acceptable to advertise OTC products, while only one-fifth are positive about advertising prescription drugs. The population finds campaigns to promote health and treat disease useful, and people are not influenced negatively when they discover the drug industry is behind such campaigns.