Effects of Direct-to-Consumer Ads in the Most Favorable and Unfavorable Combinations of Drug and Medical Conditions
| Condition | ||
|---|---|---|
| Drug Type | Severe, Prevalent, or Undertreated Condition | Mild, Rare, or Overtreated Condition |
| Effective drug with rare or mild side effects | Likely beneficial | Increased medicalization and cost for a small benefit and rare hazard |
| Low-effectiveness drug with severe or common side effects | Beneficial for a small subgroup
 Hazardous for most viewers | Public health hazard |