The effect of the modality (audio-visual vs. audio-only vs. text) of direct-to-consumer advertisements for prescription drugs on consumers’ thoughts of risk and drug distrust was tested in a between-subjects experiment (N = 397). Consumers’ thoughts of risk were lower when they viewed a television DTC advertisement compared with reading the advertisement’s transcript. Further, distrust of the drug was lower after viewing the advertisement or listening to the advertisement’s audio track, compared with reading the transcript. Because the television advertisements produced fewer thoughts of risk and reduced drug distrust, the FDA should establish guidelines for television advertisements to ensure that consumers adequately perceive the risk associated with prescription drugs. Rather than merely communicating risk information, pharmaceutical marketers should demonstrate that prospective consumers understand drug risks. This approach moves the FDA guidelines’ emphasis from risk communication to risk comprehension. Further research on modality effects is warranted.

中文翻译：

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处方药直接面向消费者的广告形式会影响风险和对药物的不信任感

在对象间实验中测试了处方药的直接面向消费者的广告的形式（视听与纯音频与文字）对消费者的风险和药物不信任感的影响（N = 397） 。与阅读广告笔录相比，消费者在观看电视DTC广告时的风险想法更低。此外，与阅读成绩单相比，在观看广告或收听广告的音轨后，对药物的不信任感降低。由于电视广告产生较少的风险念头，并减少了对药物的不信任感，因此FDA应该制定电视广告指南，以确保消费者充分认识到处方药带来的风险。不仅仅是传达风险信息，药品营销人员应证明潜在消费者了解药品风险。这种方法将FDA指南的重点从风险沟通转移到风险理解。有必要对模态效应进行进一步研究。