A CONTENT ANALYSIS OF DIRECT-TO-CONSUMER (DTC) PRESCRIPTION DRUG WEB SITES

Abstract The main goal of this content analysis study was to examine the content and form of direct-to-consumer (DTC) drug Web sites and explore their public policy implications. Although studies have examined print communications, very little academic attention has been paid to DTC Web sites. This study is a census of 90 complete DTC drug Web sites. Results showed that DTC sites used advertising appeals similar to those found in print ads, but they included more monetary incentives and a much higher degree of medical and drug information. The data show that these sites may be better suited to fulfilling Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidelines because of their inclusion of more information. Suggestions for future research are discussed.