Direct-to-consumer advertising of psychotropics

‘Advertising may be described as the science of arresting the human intelligence long enough to get money from it’ (Leacock, 1924). Until recently, the main targets of pharmaceutical advertisements were clinicians and the major vehicles for ‘educational promotion’ were advertisements in academic and professional journals and visits and gifts from pharmaceutical representatives. All is now changed and patients have become legitimate targets of advertising. Direct-to-consumer advertising represents a new and expanding area of pharmaceutical promotion that harnesses the mass media.