Ole Ole
...Janet Hoek and Philip Gendall
Department of Marketing, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
WAPOR Conference, Phoenix, Arizona, 11-13 May, 2004
Abstract
Only two countries, New Zealand and the United States, allow direct-to-consumer advertising of prescription medicines (DTCA). The purpose of our research was to examine New Zealand consumers' views of different DTCA regulatory options and to draw some comparisons between New Zealanders' views on DTCA and those of their counterparts in the USA. A mail survey of 800 New Zealanders resulted in a processing sample of 418 cases and a response rate of 62%. The questionnaire examined advertising regulation, and provided respondents with detailed and balanced information about the New Zealand self-regulatory DTCA system. Respondents were then asked to review four options, ranging from continuation of the status quo, through to a ban on DTCA and its replacement with a free and independent health information service.
Despite the criticisms levelled at DTCA, members of the New Zealand public support its retention in a more strictly regulated format. Only around 20% favour banning it completely, and a slightly lower proportion support retention of the status quo. This suggests that New Zealand consumers do not share many of the concerns about DTCA raised on their behalf. Analysis of a series of forced choice attitude questions provides background to New Zealand consumers' opinions and suggests several regulatory initiatives that are required to ensure DTCA meets consumers' information needs. Comparison of our results with analogous US data sourced from the regular Prevention magazine surveys indicates that New Zealand regulators could benefit from studying American consumers' opinions of DTCA, and vice versa.
Our findings differ from those reported in other surveys. This...
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