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Grayscale photograph of two extended hands, palms up, holding a pile of white pills.
Two hands holding a pile of white pills. (Photo: Openverse/danielfoster437).

Direct-to-consumer television ads for pharmaceuticals begin.

1983

PHA
ECON
CORP
Two hands holding a pile of white pills. (Photo: Openverse/danielfoster437).

The first direct-to-consumer (DTC) pharmaceutical ad runs on television. The United States and New Zealand are the only two countries in the world that allow DTC marketing by pharmaceutical companies.

The 1980's also sees an exponential increase in DTC ads in newspapers, magazines, and other print outlets.