DTC Television Ads May Promote Overprescribing of Statins, Study Says

Direct-to-consumer television advertisements may promote the overprescribing of statins to treat high cholesterol, according to a recent study in the July issue of the Journal of General Internal Medicine.

The study, “Direct-to-Consumer Television Advertising Exposure, Diagnosis with High Cholesterol, and Statin Use,” said DTC ads “may promote over-diagnosis of high cholesterol and over-treatment for populations where risks of statin use may outweigh potential benefits.” The lead authors of the study are Jeff Niederdeppe, an assistant professor in Cornell University’s Department of Communication, and Sahara Byrne, associate professor in Cornell’s Department of Communication.

The study examined how often 106,685 American ...