Over 80 percent of physicians surveyed believe it is a good idea to prohibit DTC advertising for new prescription drugs for a period of time after the FDA approval to allow doctors time to gain familiarity with the medications, according to a recent study.
Research firm HRA conducted the study by surveying 2,015 physicians in their analysis.
While more than four out of five physicians favored some type of ban on DTC for all new prescription drugs, there was less agreement on the type of ban that they would be most likely to support.
Forty-three percent favor a mandatory ban for some limited period of time. Thirty-three percent favor a voluntary ban with each pharmaceutical company deciding when to begin advertising to consumers, and 24 percent say no ban on DTC advertising is necessary.
Other key findings of the survey included:
•Fifty-six percent of the doctors noted that they get one to five calls a week to discuss DTC-advertised drugs or schedule an appointment to discuss a DTC-advertised drug.
•Sixty-five percent of the doctors stated that patients initiate discussions about DTC-advertised prescription drug products. 
•Sixty-four percent of the physicians get one to five patient requests per week for DTC-advertised drugs.
•Nearly two-thirds, 62 percent, of the surveyed doctors stated that they prescribe the discussed medication only one-quarter of the time or less, with nearly 40 percent of those writing a prescription 10 percent, or less, of the time.