Influence of Pharmaceutical Direct-to-Consumer Advertisement on Medical Treatment of Inflammatory Bowel Disease-An Outpatient Survey-Based Study.

Background: The management of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has become much more complex as our understanding of the disease pathology has improved and as new novel therapeutic options come into play. A factor that has not been studied in the management of this disease is the role that Direct-To-Consumer Advertisement (DTCA) plays in patients' decisions regarding their treatment options. Here we investigate the very role this mode of television advertisement has on influencing our patients.