"This is a medical alert for a bad drug." So begin countless "bad drug" commercials, frequent occurrences on television, radio and social media.
Driven by attorneys who want to profit from class-action lawsuits, these ads perpetuate misinformation about FDA-approved medications. Their "health warnings" have the appearance of being government-sponsored public safety announcements. They can drive viewers, particularly senior citizens, to abruptly discontinue the life-saving medications prescribed by their physicians.
The Partnership to Protect Patient Health (PPPH) raises awareness about the risk these "bad drug" ads pose for patients' health. PPPH supports patient safety and advocates for responsible practices that keep health care decisions where they belong -- between patients and their doctors.
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"When patients come to me with concerns about their medications, I take time to listen." Chloe Villavaso, MN, APRN… https://t.co/4LGYLVB49y -
"Bad drug" ads endanger patient health and undermine informed medical decision-making. Learn more ▶️… https://t.co/WOUwnRMCTY
Mission
The Partnership to Protect Patient Health is a coalition of diverse stakeholders, including patients, health care providers, researchers and caregivers, that raises awareness among policymakers and the media about the implications of “bad drug” commercials. The organization aims to protect the relationship between the patient and his or her health care provider by:
Ensuring patient health and safety are top priorities,
Facilitating a dialogue about how misleading drug-injury advertising puts patient safety at risk by circumventing the critical relationship between doctor and patient,
Supporting the education of patients, health care providers, policymakers and other stakeholders, and
Encouraging patients to consult their health care providers with questions or concerns about their prescribed medications.
The Facts
Decisions about one’s course of treatment belong between a patient and his or her health care provider. However, an increase in television, radio and internet advertisements from law firms and aggregators, who bundle and sell patients’ information, are increasingly putting this fundamental relationship at serious risk.
Drug-injury ads, which solicit patients to call the toll-free number, often masquerade as “medical alerts” or public service announcements warning patients about medical complications and potential injuries, even death, that their medicine could cause. More than $149 million was spent on these ads in 2016. While these commercials are lucrative for law firms and aggregators, they can be dangerous for patients. Research has found these ads can frighten patients into abandoning critical life-saving medications without first consulting their health care provider. This can upset a patient’s course of treatment, trigger re-emerging symptoms, lead to emergency care, or even cause death.
In 2017, the American Medical Association adopted a resolution calling for legislative or regulatory requirement to ensure ethical attorney advertising. Patient advocates also support increasing transparency and adding warning language that discloses there is risk associated with discontinuing medication before speaking with a qualified medical professional.
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About
The Partnership to Protect Patient Health is a collaboration between health care providers and patient advocates.
To learn more about the Partnership to Protect Patient Health or for more information about having your organization join, please contact alexa@protectpatienthealth.org.
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