Chances are it was an ad for a prescription drug.
According to a new study published in the December issue of the Journal of Family Practice , such ads may do the public more harm than good. When researchers examined 320 print ads promoting 101 different drug brands, they found that by and large the ads failed to include information about how a drug works, the length of treatment, alternative therapies and the drug's success rate. As a result, consumers are often poorly educated about the drugs. In the best-case scenario, the patient requests a drug that is appropriate for her condition. But if the patient asks for an inappropriate drug, the doctor may give in and prescribe it, potentially endangering the patient's health.