Dermatology Study Finds Limited Impact of Drug Ads Amid Trump’s New DTC Order

DALLAS, TX, UNITED STATES, September 11, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- President Trump’s recent executive order seeks to rein in Direct to Consumer (DTC) pharmaceutical ads, questioning their value against rising drug costs. However, a new study in SKIN: The Journal of Cutaneous Medicine^® finds that DTC drug ads have a minimal effect on dermatology residents’ prescribing patterns. Researchers found that while up to a quarter of patients mention advertised drugs, over one-third of doctors reported no impact at all on their prescribing. The study suggests that despite billions spent each year, DTC campaigns may generate awareness without significantly altering evidence-based prescribing.

The study polled dermatology residents attending a clinical education session in May 2025. Participants were asked how often patients with inflammatory skin disease mentioned drugs they had seen advertised on TV and how often those mentions affected prescribing decisions. Most residents reported that only 1–25% of their patients referenced advertised drugs, and influence on prescribing was similarly limited. A small subset of respondents reported that advertising influenced their prescribing more than half of the time, but this appeared to reflect cases where patient requests aligned with guideline-supported treatment options rather than widespread changes in clinical practice.

These findings highlight a disconnect between the visibility of drug advertisements and their practical effect on prescribing behavior. While DTC campaigns have grown into a multibillion-dollar industry since the FDA permitted television advertising of prescription drugs in 1997, their return on investment in dermatology may be limited. Dermatology remains one of the top specialties for ad spending, yet resident physicians appear to rely primarily on evidence-based guidelines and clinical judgment rather than patient requests sparked by advertising.

The study’s timing adds to the ongoing policy debate over the future of DTC advertising in the United States. With billions of dollars invested annually, the results suggest that resources may be more effectively directed toward clinician education, patient access initiatives, or outcomes research, especially as new federal rules take shape.

SKIN: The Journal of Cutaneous Medicine^® is a peer-reviewed online medical journal that is the official journal of The National Society for Cutaneous Medicine. The mission of SKIN is to provide an enhanced and accelerated route to disseminate new dermatologic knowledge for all aspects of cutaneous disease.

For more details, please visit www.jofskin.org or contact jofskin@gmail.com.

Influence of Direct-to-Consumer Drug Advertising on Dermatology Residents’ Prescribing Patterns: A Cross-Sectional Poll-Based Study. J of Skin. 2025;9(5):2630-2633. doi:10.25251/p38q3g38

Lauren DeBusk, MD
UT Southwestern Medical Center
ledebusk@gmail.com