Should Drug Companies Be Advertising to Consumers?
•February 16, 2026
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Companies Mentioned
Why It Matters
The surge in DTC drug ads fuels off‑label use and reshapes prescribing habits, potentially inflating healthcare costs and prompting tighter regulatory scrutiny.
Key Takeaways
- •Novo Nordisk spent $180M on DTC ads in 2022
- •2023 ad spend rose to $189M, showing growth
- •Ads portray lifestyle benefits, influencing non‑diabetic consumers
- •Consumer demand drives off‑label use of GLP‑1 drugs
- •Regulators face pressure to tighten pharmaceutical DTC rules
Pulse Analysis
The pharmaceutical industry has revived direct‑to‑consumer (DTC) advertising after a decades‑long hiatus, treating prescription drugs like consumer brands. Novo Nordisk alone poured $180 million into U.S. TV spots for Ozempic in 2022, climbing to $189 million the following year, according to MediaRadar. These campaigns showcase vibrant, everyday scenes—people cooking, biking, playing pickleball—to link the drug with a revitalized lifestyle. By broadcasting a catchy jingle and vivid imagery, the ads have transcended clinical messaging, turning a diabetes treatment into a cultural touchstone for weight‑loss aspirations.
The allure of such marketing lies in its ability to reshape patient perception. Viewers without a diabetes diagnosis, like 69‑year‑old Tamar Abrams, interpret the ads as invitations to reclaim vitality, prompting inquiries about off‑label use. This consumer‑driven demand fuels a surge in GLP‑1 prescriptions for weight management, straining insurance formularies and raising concerns about long‑term safety. Moreover, the emotional framing sidesteps traditional risk disclosures, potentially accelerating prescription rates before physicians can fully assess suitability, thereby influencing healthcare costs and prescribing patterns.
Regulators are now grappling with the balance between patient education and commercial persuasion. The FDA permits DTC promotion only after a drug’s safety and efficacy are established, yet it offers limited guidance on lifestyle‑focused narratives that may blur therapeutic intent. Lawmakers and consumer‑advocacy groups are calling for stricter oversight, clearer labeling, and mandatory risk statements in televised spots. As spending climbs and competitors emulate the Ozempic formula, the industry faces a pivotal moment: innovate responsibly or risk heightened scrutiny that could reshape the future of pharmaceutical advertising.
Should Drug Companies Be Advertising to Consumers?
the new old age
Feb. 16, 2026, 11:06 a.m. ET
Credit…Luisa Jung
Tamar Abrams had a lousy couple of years in 2022 and ’23. Both her parents died; a relationship ended; she retired from communications consulting. She moved from Arlington, Va., to Warren, R.I., where she knew all of two people.
“I was kind of a mess,” recalled Ms. Abrams, 69. Trying to cope, “I was eating myself into oblivion.” As her weight hit 270 pounds and her blood pressure, cholesterol and blood glucose levels climbed, “I knew I was in trouble health‑wise.”
What came to mind? “Oh, oh, oh, Ozempic!” — the tuneful ditty from television commercials that promoted the GLP‑1 medication for diabetes. The ads also pointed out that patients who took it lost weight.
Ms. Abrams remembered the commercials as “joyful” and sometimes found herself humming the jingle. They depicted Ozempic‑takers cooking omelets, repairing bikes, playing pickleball — “doing everyday activities, but with verve,” she said. “These people were enjoying the hell out of life.”
So, just as such ads often urge, even though she had never been diagnosed with diabetes, she asked her doctor if Ozempic was right for her.
Small wonder Ms. Abrams recalled those ads. Novo Nordisk, which manufactures Ozempic, spent an estimated $180 million in direct‑to‑consumer advertising in 2022 and $189 million in 2023, according to MediaRadar, which monitors advertising.
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