Racial Disparities in Direct-to-Consumer Pharmaceutical Advertising

Reducing health disparities by increasing access to health information is a national priority. Research demonstrates that direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) is effective in educating consumers about health issues. However, research also identified racial disparities in such advertising. In 2009, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a report that included a number of recommendations for enhancing the ability of DTCA to reach disadvantaged populations, including racial and ethnic minorities. This study compared the pharmaceutical advertisements placed in five popular women's magazines published prior to and following the 2009 FDA report to assess the impact of these recommendations on the content and appearance of advertisements placed in magazines of differing racial orientation.