DTC Saves Lives: The Hispanic Opportunity

For instance 25 percent of US adults who visit their physicians because of a DTC ad are diagnosed with a significant new condition that they did not know they had including high blood pressure diabetes or high cholesterol amp160In addition patients who see a DTC ad are more likely to stay on their medication especially those for chronic diseases such as arthritis and depression which keeps them compliant and healthyRecent studies have highlighted a growing opportunity to increase DTC activity and potentially save many more lives among US Hispanics amp160This large and expanding segment of the population there are currently 61 million Hispanics in the US is particularly prone to chronic disease such as diabetes and its metabolic associates high cholesterol and high blood pressure amp160For example Hispanics are twice as likely as nonHispanics to have diabetes 226 vs 113 percent amp160Yet one in two Hispanics are not diagnosed or are underdiagnosed amp160In addition cancer which is now more treatable than ever is the leading cause of death among Hispanics due primarily to lower screening ratesHealth insurance is not the problem amp160Eighty percent of Hispanics have insurance that covers the cost of medications amp160In fact the percentage of Hispanics with insurance coverage increased 34 percent from 2011 to 2016 amp160Importantly Hispanics currently spend 53 billion a year on healthcare which is expected to grow 65 percent over the next five years amp160In addition they more actively seek out healthcare information than nonHispanics 64 vs 58 percent amp160Research has also shown that about twothirds of Hispanics 62 percent prefer healthcare information in Spanish amp160This holds true for DTC advertising as well as 57 percent of Hispanics find it easier to understand ads for prescription medications when they are in Spanish and 52 percent have a more favorable opinion of brands that advertise in SpanishBased on these numbers pharmaceutical manufacturers should be using DTC advertising to drive more Hispanic patientdoctor dialogues amp160This would lead to more diagnosis and treatment and more lives saved amp160It would also increase sales volume amp160As J Walker Smith author expert on consumer trends and executive chair of Kantar Futures noted in 2017 quotThe problem businesses are facing today is how to achieve growth amp160The answer is the Hispanic marketplace an economic juggernaut that is the keystone to growth in the future amp160In order to grow brands must embrace the inclusivity imperative marketing to everybody Hispanics in particularquotHow it WorksDTC advertising serves the untreated and underdiagnosed by making them aware of disease and treatment options amp160Because it provides information and educates consumers it is proven to enhance patientphysician relationships in the brief time they have to spend together due to managed care constraints currently estimated at less than three minutes amp160So why wouldn39t a pharmaceutical manufacturer use DTC to reach undertreated populations such as Hispanics amp160Brand managers often say it39s too expensive to add a secondary or tertiary target audience but this financial posturing is shortsightedOf course there have been complaints that DTC advertising increases drug costs but those have been disproven amp160Writing in Pharmaceutical Representative Dr Richard O Dolinar an endocrinologist and fellow for the Heartland Institute commented on the economic misconceptions surrounding DTC advertising by comparing it to the advent of air conditioning in the 1950s amp160While some people argued that air conditioning a retail store was unnecessary and would increase prices shoppers flocked to the coolness when it was hot amp160Sales increased to the degree that the stores were able to sell their products at a lower price and still reap a profitAfter 21 years DTC advertising remains an important marketing tool for pharmaceutical manufacturers and is a valuable contributor to the media marketplace amp160While we cannot dismiss the profit motive it also cannot be denied that DTC advertising saves lives amp160More importantly expanding it to better reach today39s growing audience of US Hispanics will only increase its ability to do so amp160That39s a winwin the right thing to do for business and the right thing to do to improve people39s livesSourcesUS Census Bureau 2018 National Population Projections Released December 2014JAMA Journal American Medical Association Sept 8 2015US Census Bureau Current Population Survey 2016US Census American Community Survey 2011 and 2015 1Yr EstimatesIHS Global Insight Hispanic Market Monitor 2015UnivisionNielsen Hispanic Healthcare Journey Study 2016J Weissman etal Health Affairs February 26 2003Richard O Dolinar MD Pharmaceutical Executive June 1 2005Click the social buttons above or below to share this story with your friends and colleaguesThe opinions and points of view expressed in this content are exclusively the views of the author andor subjects and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillagecomMyersBizNet Inc management or associated writers

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DTC Saves Lives: The Hispanic Opportunity

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Deborah Dick-Rath

FEMA and the Ad Council Encourage AANHPI Communities to Enhance Disaster Preparedness in New PSAs - Ad Council InSites

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Deborah Dick-Rath

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