knowledge about healthcare, that solidified DTC acceptance. The trends included: Demographies. With the maturing of the Baby Boomers, the generation that took control of so many aspects of their personal lives, the desire for relevant health information opened the channels of consumer communication. By becoming better informed about their healthcare options, Boomers could take better care of themselves. Evolution of the healthcare system. The emergence of managed care in the 1990s forced consumers to become more knowledgable about options for health insurance. As a result, consumers have become more involved in decisions about healthcare, such as selection of physicians, hospitals, diagnostic testing approaches, and treatment options. Wellness/prevention revolution. Since the mid 1980s, a substantial consumer trend has evolved toward seeking improved fitness and diet, disease prevention measures, and a greater sense of individual responsibility for healthcare. One extension of this trend is that consumers have become more proactive when talking with their physicians about symptoms, diagnostic exams, and preventive treatments. Deregulation of many prescription drugs. Beginning in 1980 with hydrocortisone, the FDA began to deregulate certain prescription drugs, transferring them to over-the- counter status and allowing consumers to buy medicine off-the-shelf, thus putting more control in their hands. Increased access to information. Perhaps the dominant factor paving the way for DTC advertising has been an explosion of information from various sources. As the incredibly rapid expansion of the Internet changes the way consumers learn about medical conditions and solutions, information about healthcare is also transmitted through media outlets, including TV news, consumer magazines, radio, and newspapers.
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