Café Scientifique - As Seen on TV: The Risks and Benefits of Direct-to-Consumer Advertising of Prescription-only Drugs
Monday, March 3rd 2008, 7pmSheraton Wall Centre
Vancouver, BC
The topic of direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) of prescription-only drugs is a "hot button" issue for Canadians because of a court case filed by CanWest Mediaworks against the government for regulations that limit "US-style" advertising in Canada. Over 90 Vancouverites came out to hear what the experts had to say about the risks and benefits that could accrue from legalizing direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) of prescription-only drugs in Canada.
Dr. Steve Morgan (Assistant Professor, Health Care & Epidemiology, UBC) opened the evening with an overview of remarkable (i.e. shocking) statistics on pharmaceutical expenditure in Canada and the estimated impact, in dollar terms, of DTCA on pharmaceutical expenditures in the United States.
This set the stage for the terrific panel of leading experts - Dr. Barbara Mintzes (Assistant Professor, Therapeutics Initiative, UBC), Dr. Andrew Wilkinson (Partner, McCarthy Tétrault), Dr. Alan Katz (Family physician and Associate Professor, University of Manitoba) and Dr. Rick Pollay (Professor Emeritus, Sauder School of Business, UBC) - to share their evidence-informed views on the risks and benefits of DTCA. A diversity of perspectives was represented with an epidemiologist, a lawyer, a family physician and an expert in advertising and public policy.
IHSPR congratulates Dr. Morgan on his successful Café Scientifique grant application and thanks him for organizing a fantastic Café that helped bring the evidence to the public on what could happen to the use and cost of medicines if regulations change to allow manufacturers to advertise prescription drugs "US-style" in Canada.
The moderator and expert panelists from left to right: Dr. Colleen M. Flood, Dr. Barbara Mintzes, Dr. Andrew Wilkinson, Dr. Alan Katz and Dr. Rick Pollay