Concerns about Prozac and direct-to-consumer advertising of prescription drugs

Abstract

This literature review outlines a brief history of Direct-to-Consumer Advertising (DTCA) of prescription drugs. Concerns about the safety and effectiveness of DTCA, particularly as it relates to the marketing of Eli Lilly's widely-used anti-depressant drug Fluoxetine (Prozac), are also discussed. Additionally, this paper raises questions about Fluoxetine's stimulant-like properties, and highlights various concerns about the way in which the Food and Drug Administration's product safety trials were conducted during Fluoxetine's approval process.