One solution the drug companies support is a program under which consumers receive reminders in the mail from their pharmacies to have their prescriptions refilled. These programs are usually financed by the drug companies, which provide money to pharmacies to contract with direct-mail companies to send out reminder letters, which are personalized and also mention the name of the drug. Two years ago, when the Washington Post reported that Giant pharmacies participated in such programs, the pressure from the public forced Giant to bow out. The concerns were that patient privacy was being violated by the pharmacy supplying names and prescription information to a mailing house. The pharmacies and direct-mail houses assured the public that the names and prescriptions remained strictly confidential, but the public pressure remained strong enough to discourage such programs.
Advertising is a communications method that avoids the privacy issue.
The bigger question, however, is whether such advertising is cost-effective. My own guess is that the companies and agencies will think long and hard about whether reaching such a relatively small audience is cost-justified. I think they will find it is not. Of that, seven will receive a prescription. From a cost-effectiveness standpoint, the question is whether the costs of advertising to that number of consumers are justified.