The NY Times has a good opinion article about drug commercials. As a pharmacist, I do have a bit of a problem with direct-to-consumer marketing of medications. Taking medication as though it were a fashion accessory is a bad, bad idea.
I do believe that the good doctor is being a bit optimistic when she says:
But most doctors, unlike patients, make their decisions based on clinical experience, and at least where I work, doctors usually greet these drug promotions with a dose of skepticism.
This is true in a lot of cases, but I have heard plenty of advice on medications from a doctor that sounds like it is straight out of the sales pitch of a drug company rep. Some doctors will prescribe a patient anything to keep them happy. I’ve even heard of one doctor who prescribed a medication because it was manufactured by a company in which he owned stock.