Copyright by Radhika Anantharaman Nair 2005 - The University of ...

DTCA ExpendituresSimilar to the relationship between DTCA expenditures and prescriptions written,DTCA expenditures were significantly related to drug expenditures for all drugcategories except antidepressants. An increase in DTCA expenditures for allergymedications, antilipemics, and gastrointestinals were significantly related to an increasein prescription drug expenditures for the respective drug class. For every $1,000 increasein DTCA expenditures for allergy medications, drug expenditures for advertised allergymedications increased by $1,450. For every $1,000 increase in DTCA expenditures forantilipemics, drug expenditures for antilipemics increased by $2,635. For every $1,000increase in DTCA expenditures for gastrointestinals, drug expenditures forgastrointestinals increased by $5,644. An increase in DTCA expenditures forantihypertensives was significantly related to a decrease in drug expenditures foradvertised antihypertensives. In other words, for every $1,000 decrease in DTCAexpenditures for antihypertensives, drug expenditures for antihypertensives increased by$4,845.According to a study by Rosenthal et al., DTCA expenditures did influence thesales for the five drug classes, namely antidepressants, antihyperlipidemics, proton pumpinhibitors, nasal sprays and antihistamines, but were not the primary drivers of growth indrug expenditures from 1999 to 2000. 504 One of the reasons for this could be the shortperiod of time evaluated. The study evaluated the growth from 1999 to 2000 whereas the504Rosenthal MB, Donohue J, Epstein A, et al. Demand effects of recent changes in prescription drugpromotion. Available at: www.kff.org. Accessed October, 2002.451