Perhaps you’ve had patients request a drug by name, asking about medications they’ve seen advertised before touching on their actual symptoms. It’s a scenario that’s become increasingly common for physicians across specialties. In a poll of physicians on Sermo, 48% said they occasionally receive these types of requests, and 18% frequently do.
Direct-to-consumer (DTC) pharmaceutical advertising has transformed how patients learn about medications. While doctors once served as the primary source of drug information, medicine commercials now reach millions of viewers daily, creating a new dynamic in patient-physician interactions. The trend raises important questions about the balance between patient education and commercial influence in healthcare decisions.
Medicine ads: the shift from clinical advice to commercial influence
Boots Pharmaceuticals ran the first DTC pharmaceutical broadcast advertisement in 1983. DTC ads became more popular from that point forward, in a significant departure from traditional healthcare communication, where physicians served as the primary gatekeepers of medication information. The shift specifically applies to approved prescription drugs and biologics, distinct from medical devices, dietary supplements, cosmetics or over-the-counter medications.
Pharmaceutical companies now spend billions annually on medication advertisements on TV, with viewers regularly exposed to commercials for everything from diabetes management to pain medication. These TV medicine commercials often encourage patient inquiry and, ultimately, prescription requests.In the future, advertising practices may shift back toward pre-DTC days. In June 2025, U.S. senators introduced the End Prescription Drug Ads Now Act, which would prohibit DTC advertising of prescription drugs. The bill has been introduced but is not yet in effect.
A double-edged sword: awareness vs. misinformation
Physicians have mixed feelings about the impact of DTC pharmaceutical ads. In a Sermo poll, the majority of respondents (49%) voted that they think the ads are both helpful and harmful.
An OBGYN from the Sermo community spoke to the pros and cons. “It has increased the time needed at the office visit to answer questions both in ads and social media,” they write. “But some increased awareness is good.”
The educational potential of medicine advertisement campaigns cannot be dismissed entirely. Some patients become aware of treatment options they might not have otherwise discovered. Conditions that carry stigma or affect quality of life may benefit when patients feel empowered to initiate conversations based on information from medicine ads on TV.
A stomatologist on Sermo argues that the ads can be beneficial. “As a dentist, I do see the use of advertisements as a good thing; they are an opportunity to improve the oral health of patients, although nothing surpasses the experience and studies of medical personnel,” they write.
However, the ads carry a risk for misinformation. Commercial advertisements necessarily simplify complex medical information, potentially creating unrealistic expectations about treatment outcomes. Patients may focus on advertised benefits while underestimating risks or contraindications that require professional evaluation.
You may find that you’re tasked daily with debunking medical misinformation from a range of sources. Just as you might address vaccine misinformation and patient concerns influenced by AI symptom checkers, you may need to navigate conversations shaped by commercials designed for broad audience appeal.
How doctors respond in practice
Physicians have developed various strategies for managing patient requests influenced by TV ads. In a poll, 52% of Sermo members said their approach is to discuss the medication objectively and consider whether it’s appropriate.
Some members view patient requests based on medicine ads as educational opportunities rather than obstacles. “I see it as an opportunity for the patients to learn a little about their condition and about the drugs available,” writes a specialist in dermatology and internal medicine.
Effective engagement involves acknowledging patient research while providing clinical context. Physicians can validate patient initiative in seeking treatment information while steering discussions toward evidence-based decision-making. The intent is to respect patient autonomy while maintaining clinical standards.
Some physicians — including 22% of respondents in the poll — prefer redirecting conversations when patients bring up unsuitable treatments that they heard about through medicine commercials on TV. With this approach, you can explain why advertised medications may not suit individual patient profiles, then present more suitable alternatives based on clinical assessment. You may explain limitations, a strategy that 20% of poll respondents said they employ. The goal is shifting focus from commercially-driven requests to medically appropriate solutions without creating patient resistance or reducing trust.
Ultimately you can combine these strategies, adapting your approach based on individual patient needs, the specific medication involved and the clinical context of the request.
Are ads overtaking the doctor’s voice?
Sermo polling data reveals that physicians still feel like patients look to them for authority, but that ads have the potential to become patients’ main source of information about medication. 43% voted that ads are possibly overtaking physicians, 26% said it hasn’t happened yet but it’s trending that way, and 21% voted that patients trust physicians more.
An anesthesiologist on Sermo has found that patients already find ads more credible. “They trust ads more than doctors,” they write. However, a general practitioner shared the opposite take. “Ads are prevalent but I don’t think patients take too much stock into individual ads and usually ask doctors about them,” they write.
A call for regulation, or rejection
The regulatory landscape varies significantly worldwide. While the United States permits extensive DTC advertising for prescription medications, most other developed countries maintain stricter controls. European Union regulations, for example, generally prohibit advertising prescription medications directly to consumers, limiting such communications to healthcare professionals.
U.S.-based Sermo members’ response to DTC pharmaceutical advertising has been predominantly critical, with 53% of participants in an internal poll supporting stricter regulations and 16% calling for the ads to be banned entirely.
Some members have voiced their growing concern about the impact of commercial messaging on medical practice and patient care. “We must be cautious with pharmaceutical advertising… scientific evidence should always come first,” emphasizes a clinical/radiation oncology specialist. A preventive medicine specialist expressed even stronger opposition to the current system. “I detest pharmaceutical ads,” they write.
However, some members approve of regulations as they stand. “As long as no false statements are made, I’m ok with it,” notes a family medicine physician. “I have good enough rapport with my patients where my word matters most to them.” Similarly, a psychiatrist states that advertisements are “fine as long as we educate patients about side effects,” they note.
As medication advertisements on TV continue to influence patient behavior, the medical community continues to grapple with balancing commercial freedom against clinical integrity.
Navigating the new healthcare communication landscape
The influence of medicine commercials on patient expectations and treatment requests has fundamentally altered modern medical practice. While traditional physician-patient relationships centered on clinical expertise and professional guidance, today’s healthcare environment includes commercial voices competing for patient trust.
You may need to use adaptive strategies that acknowledge patient exposure to advertising medicines while maintaining clinical standards. Physicians on Sermo tend to engage with patient questions and provide context for commercial claims, using these interactions as opportunities for deeper medical education.
The future of pharmaceutical advertising in the U.S. is uncertain. Regulatory changes could alter the landscape of medication advertisements on TV, while evolving media consumption patterns may change how patients encounter and process pharmaceutical marketing. For now, you can join the Sermo community, where verified physicians are discussing the pros and cons of DTC pharmaceutical advertising, and how they factor into patient interactions.
