Thinking about fair balance: how prescription drug advertising disclosure prominence works?

Purpose The purpose of the study was to examine the effects of prescription drug advertising health risk disclosure prominence and the mediating role of introspective message attention. Design/methodology/approach An experiment was conducted to test varying levels of health risk disclosure prominence in prescription drug advertising (high vs low). Findings The results showed that a more prominent health risk disclosure than a less prominent one enhanced introspective message attention, risk knowledge and risk perception of the drug’s side effects. In addition, the introspective attention mediated the health risk disclosure effects on risk knowledge and risk perception. Research limitations/implications The artificial experimental setting should be considered. In addition, various therapeutic categories and health risk disclosure formats need to be examined. Practical implications To ensure fair balance in prescription drug advertising, message designers should present a sufficient level of health risk disclosure prominence. Social implications To encourage consumers to make informed prescription drug decisions, health risk information provided through prescription drug advertising may be important. Health-marketing promotional messages should address fair balance by considering health risk disclosure prominence. Originality/value Although the FDA has issued its risk communication guidance draft for pharmaceutical manufacturers to ensure fair balance between benefit and risk information in pharmaceutical promotion, little empirical research has been conducted to test the health risk disclosure prominence effects on consumers’ health-related perception about the drug. This study fills the gap in the literature.