# Presentation: 803066

## Comparative Advertising, Fair Balance, and the Patient-Consumer

- FDA Public Meeting
- September 22-23, 2003
- Presented by Andrew F. Schirmer,
- Managing Director, McCann HumanCare,
- McCann-Erickson

## Topics addressed in this presentation

- Q 6: Comparative Claims/Advertising
- Q 11: Fair Balance

## Comparative Advertising

- One of the oldest forms of advertising communications
- Used to position products, companies or services relative to each other
- Helps consumer make more informed choices

## Slide 4

## Comparative Advertising

- Consumers are used to it
- The “Cola Wars,” “Long-Distance Service Wars” and others point to ubiquity
- It is part of the consumer decision-making process
-                                      However...

## Comparative Advertising - DTC

- The parameters change somewhat with
- Direct-to-Consumer Rx advertising
- Product claims are based on labeling, prescribing data, or head-to-head trials
- Serious health issues surround Rx selection
- Consumer is not the final decision-maker
- Consumer – MD dialogue drives final MD decision

## Research

- Methodology/Audience info:
- Adults, 18+, M/F
- Internet Survey (Harris Interactive, Inc.)
- Data was balanced for census population
- 2 Surveys
- A: 1030 respondents (8/26/03)
- B: 1023 respondents (9/4/03)

## Sample

- Respondents suffer from a number of conditions, including:
- Acid reflux disease
- Arthritis
- Depression
- Asthma
- Diabetes
- Allergies
- Cancer
- Migraines
- None
- Asked how treated – Rx, OTC, both, nothing

## Sample - Usage

- In the three largest categories majority used combination Rx/OTC products
- Allergy - 54%
- Acid Reflux - 54%
- Migraine - 43%
-  Source:  Harris Interactive, Inc. 9/03, Base size 1023

## Results - Comparative

-  92% agreed with statements:
- 	“I often read the usage and side effect information that is provided with my prescription medicine”
-  	“I read the back of the package of my OTC medicines”
-       Source:  Harris Interactive, Inc. 9/03, Base size 1023

## Results - Comparative

- 97% agreed with statement:
- 	“Understanding the differences between medications helps me make better health care choices”
- 98% agreed with statement:
- 	“Medicines can be different without being better”
- Source:  Harris Interactive, Inc. 8/03, Base size 1030

## Comparative Advertising - DTC

- Findings/Conclusions:
- Comparisons of medications help consumers
- Better informed consumers make better decisions
- Many would welcome comparative advertising into the discussion
- Comparison does not necessarily connote superiority
- Consumers are able to understand product differences
- The product info provided is being read
- Patients are getting product information from many sources

## 

Q 11: Fair Balance

- Q 11: Fair Balance

## Fair Balance

- Regulations regarding fair balance have
- evolved over the years
- In print - type size/font, prominence
- In TV - pre-’97 no claims - after, fair balance along with claims
- Access to information

## Fair Balance

- Consumers recall and appreciate the risk/ side effect information
- 90% of patients recall this info in ads - equal to the number that recall benefit info in ‘02 FDA survey*
- Advertisers have learned to make language clearer (sugar pill v.s. placebo)
- * Source:  U.S. Food & Drug Administration Survey, 2002

## Results – Fair Balance

- 91% agreed with statement:
- 	“Most of the time I read the usage information about the prescription medicine(s) I take”
- Source:  Harris Interactive, Inc. 8/03, Base size1030
- 95% agreed with statement:
- 	“I can understand the product information which is provided with my prescription medicines”
- Source:  Harris Interactive, Inc. 9/03, Base size 1023

## Results – Fair Balance

- 91% agreed with the statement:
- 	“I believe the side effect information that is provided in advertising for prescription medicines is helpful”
- Source:  Harris Interactive, Inc. 8/03, Base size 1030

## Results – Fair Balance

-  89% agreed with statement:
- “I believe the side effect information that is provided in advertising for prescription medicine helps me better understand the pros and cons of that prescription medicine”
- Source:  Harris Interactive, Inc. 9/03, Base size 1023

## Results – Fair Balance

-    I fully understand the meaning of these terms:
- 		Placebo				87%
- 		Sugar Pill			93%
-        	Source:  Harris Interactive, Inc. 8/03, Base size 1030
- 		Dyspepsia			28%
- 		Indigestion			95%
- 		Source:  Harris Interactive, Inc. 9/03, Base size 1023

## Fair Balance/Safety  - DTC

- Findings/Conclusions:
- Majority of consumers are reading and comprehending the fair balance and safety information
- Consumers are aware of side effect and other safety issues
- Most feel that this information is helpful
- Consumers are more involved in their own health       management
- Simpler language is understood by a larger percentage of the consumer/patient population
- Efforts to make fair balance information simpler and easier to understand should continue

## Overall Conclusions

- Q 6:
- Understanding differences between medications helps consumers make better health care choices
- Consumers are accessing information from many sources besides advertising
- Comparisons between Rx and OTC products are useful as many patients take both to treat their condition
- Q 11:
- Current fair balance disclosure is effective and informative but could benefit from additional clarity and simplicity