Abstract
This paper explores direct-to-consumer prescription drug advertising (DTCPA) and the way it has been reported on in mass media. Social problems theory suggests that a society must recognize a condition as problematic in order for the social problem to exist. Additionally, Spector and Kitsuse recommend that sociologists should not focus on the conditions that make up social problems, but instead the groups who define social problems (claims makers) and their activities. This paper uses social problems theory to report on a content analysis of the New York Times (NYT) and its coverage of DTCPA to find themes and subthemes. The results of the content analysis reveal that the NYT frames DTCPA predominantly as a problem with various financial, social, and medical risks to consumers. When the NYT reports on benefits of DTCPA, they mirror pharmaceutical companies’ claims. The results suggest that the NYT acts as a forum for DTCPA debate and a claims maker in constructing DTCPA as a social problem.
How to Cite
Reid, A., (2016) “Negative Side Effects May Include”: The Social Construction of Direct-to-Consumer Pharmaceutical Advertising as a Social Problem”, Capstone, The UNC Asheville Journal of Undergraduate Scholarship 29(1).
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