Completes, Main Study

[PROGRAMMER: Informed consent to be recorded first.]

[PROGRAMMER: Randomly assign participants to study conditions.]

SCRIPT: Thank you for agreeing to participate in this study today.

This study is about advertisements (ads) that appear in academic journals and trade magazines that could be sent to providers. You will view three ads and then will be asked to answer the questions that follow. Your answers will not be linked to your name.

The study will take about 30 minutes to complete. We ask you to complete the study in one sitting (without taking any breaks) to avoid distractions.

SCRIPT:

On the next screen, you will see some ads. Even though they are on a computer screen, please read the ads as though you had received it in the mail or in print.

Please pay close attention to the advertisement because we will ask you questions about it afterward.

[PROGRAMMER: Display ad correspondent to the participant’s experimental condition. Record duration of time spent watching ad and also time spent on each screen answering questions. Time spent on instruction screens will be used as baseline reading speed measure. Participants are allowed to page back and forth between the display page and the brief summary, but once they move beyond the final screen, do not allow participants to look back at the ad.]

[BROCHURE VIEWING ABILITY CHECK]

We would now like to ask you some questions specifically about the prescription drug ad that you saw.

1. Were you able to view the prescription drug advertisement?

• Yes [Continue]

• No [Terminate; Link to screening responses and keep data, though]

[MAIN MESSAGE RECALL]

2. What was the main message of the prescription drug advertisement you saw?

[OPEN-ENDED RESPONSE]

[BRAND RECOGNITION]

3. Which of the following drugs did you see advertised in the advertisement?

[PROGRAMMER: Randomize response options. Allow respondents to check more than one box]

• Veridan

• Lyrica

• Cymbalta

• Carmitet

• None of the above

[PRODUCTION QUALITY]

P1. Which of the following best describes the production quality of the prescription drug advertisement?

• High quality (similar to advertisements for national companies such as Cigna)

• Moderate quality (similar to advertisements for small/local businesses)

• Low quality (as if an amateur produced it)

[RECALL OF BENEFITS AND RISKS]

[PROGRAMMER: Randomize order of Q4 and Q5 (counterbalance). Include thirteen separate text boxes. Do not force response, but please suggest response: if a participant leaves the question blank display the following message, “You did not enter an answer to this question. Your answer to this question is important to us if you have one to offer. You can enter “none””]

SCRIPT: The advertisement you saw included messages about a prescription drug named Veridan.

4. Based on the prescription drug advertisement, what are the benefits of Veridan? Please list as many benefits as you can remember. Use one line for each benefit you list.

5. Based on the prescription drug advertisement, what are the risks and side effects of Veridan? Please list as many risks and side effects as you can remember. Use one line for each risk or side effect you list.

[PRICE COMPARISON CLAIM AND PRICE DISCLOSURE RECOGNITION]

SCRIPT: This question asks about information that may or may not have been in the advertisement.

6. Which of the following statements, if any, were in the prescription drug advertisement you saw? Check all that apply.

[PROGRAMMER: RANDOMIZE ORDER]

☐ If you currently prescribe Lyrica to treat diabetic peripheral neuropathy, switching your patients to Veridan could save them up to $560.00 a year.

☐ If you currently prescribe Lyrica to treat diabetic peripheral neuropathy, switching your patients to Veridan could cause them to spend $210.00 more a year.

☐ Veridan is an FDA-approved prescription medicine used to treat diabetic peripheral neuropathy.

☐ Only Veridan is designed to treat two of the most common types of nerve pain, diabetic nerve pain and pain after shingles.

☐ Taken once a day, it works by interfering with chemical processes in the brain that cause sufferers to feel pain, providing significant relief.

☐ The price savings presented may not reflect the actual savings by consumers or third-party payers. The products in this price comparison may or may not be equally effective or safe.

☐ Veridan is the first and only pain reliever that is FDA-approved to treat some forms of pain caused by general inflammation.

☐ None of the above.

[PROGRAMMER: On a new screen please include the following message:]

SCRIPT: For the following questions, we are interested in your initial impression and honest opinions. There are no right or wrong answers.

[PERCEIVED EFFICACY – Likelihood and magnitude]

SCRIPT: Please answer the following questions based on the impression that you got from the prescription drug ad.

Please do not use your personal experience when answering.

7. How likely is it that taking Veridan provides significant relief from diabetic nerve pain?

1	2	3	4	5	6
Not at all likely					Very likely

8. Veridan will help relieve most people’s diabetic nerve pain.

1	2	3	4	5	6
Strongly disagree					Strongly agree

9. How much relief does Veridan give people from their diabetic nerve pain?

1	2	3	4	5	6
Very little relief					Complete relief

SCRIPT: We are interested in your perceptions of other prescription medications that treat diabetic nerve pain, such as Lyrica.

Do your best to answer each question, even if you have never prescribed Lyrica.

10. How likely is it that taking Lyrica provides significant relief from diabetic nerve pain?

    1	2	3	4	5	6
    Not at all likely					Very likely

11. Lyrica will help relieve most people’s diabetic nerve pain.

    1	2	3	4	5	6
    Strongly disagree					Strongly agree

12. How much relief does Lyrica give people from their diabetic nerve pain?

1	2	3	4	5	6
Very little relief					Complete relief

[PERCEIVED COMPARATIVE EFFICACY]

SCRIPT: Please answer the following questions based on the impression that you got from the prescription drug ad.

Please do not use your personal experience when answering.

13. Compared to Lyrica, is Veridan better or worse at relieving diabetic nerve pain?

    1	2	3	4	5	6	7
    Veridan is much worse			They are the same			Veridan is much better

14. Compared to Lyrica, how much relief does Veridan give people from their diabetic nerve pain?

    1	2	3	4	5	6	7
    Veridan gives much less relief			They are the same			Veridan gives much more relief

15. Compared to Lyrica, how many people get relief from diabetic nerve pain by taking Veridan?

1	2	3	4	5	6	7
Far fewer people get relief with Veridan			They are the same			Many more people get relief with Veridan

[PERCEIVED RISK – Likelihood and magnitude]

SCRIPT: Please answer the following questions based on the impression that you got from the information in the advertisement.

Please do not use your personal experience when answering.

16. How likely is it that people taking Veridan will have minor side effects?

    1	2	3	4	5	6
    Not at all likely					Very likely

17. How likely is it that people taking Veridan will have serious side effects?

    1	2	3	4	5	6
    Not at all likely					Very likely

18. People taking Veridan will have at least one side effect.

    1	2	3	4	5	6
    Strongly disagree					Strongly agree

19. Overall, Veridan’s side effects are:

1	2	3	4	5	6
Not at all serious					Very serious

SCRIPT: Please answer the following questions based on the impression that you got from the information in the advertisement.

Do your best to answer each question, even if you have never prescribed Lyrica.

Q20. How likely is it that people taking Lyrica will have minor side effects?

1	2	3	4	5	6
Not at all likely					Very likely

Q21. How likely is it that people taking Lyrica will have serious side effects?

1	2	3	4	5	6
Not at all likely					Very likely

Q22. People taking Lyrica will have at least one side effect.

1	2	3	4	5	6
Strongly disagree					Strongly agree

Q23. Overall, Lyrica’s side effects are:

1	2	3	4	5	6
Not at all serious					Very serious

[PERCEIVED COMPARATIVE RISK]

SCRIPT: Please answer the following questions based on the impression that you got from the information in the advertisement.

Do your best to answer each question, even if you have never prescribed Lyrica.

Q24. Compared to Lyrica, how risky or safe is Veridan?

1	2	3	4	5	6	7
Veridan is much safer			They are the same			Veridan is much riskier

Q25. Compared to Lyrica, is it more or less common that people taking Veridan will have minor side effects?

1	2	3	4	5	6	7
Minor side effects are much less common with Veridan			They are the same			Minor side effects are much more common with Veridan

Q26. Compared to Lyrica, is it more or less common that people taking Veridan will have serious side effects?

1	2	3	4	5	6	7
Serious side effects are much less common with Veridan			They are the same			Serious side effects are much more common with Veridan

Q27. Compared to Lyrica, what is your impression about Veridan’s side effects?

1	2	3	4	5	6	7
Veridan’s side effects are much less serious			They are the same			Veridan’s side effects are much more serious

Q28. The ad implied Veridan and Lyrica are interchangeable.

1	2	3	4	5	6
Strongly disagree					Strongly agree

[BENEFIT AND RISK RECOGNITION]

SCRIPT: For the following questions, we are interested in your initial impression and honest opinions. There are no right or wrong answers.

[PROGRAMMER: Randomize order of Q29 and Q30]

29. Based on the prescription drug advertisement, please indicate whether each of the following was mentioned as a benefit of taking Veridan. Even if you think a statement is true, please select “Yes” only if it was mentioned in the advertisement.

[PROGRAMMER: RANDOMIZE ORDER]	Yes, claim is in the advertisement	No, claim is not in the advertisement
a. relieves pain from diabetic peripheral neuropathy
b. only needs to be taken once a day
c. relieves problems with urination
d. reduces indigestion, nausea, or vomiting
e. works better than Lyrica

29. Based on the prescription drug advertisement, please indicate whether each of the following was mentioned as a risk or side effect of taking Veridan. Even if you think a statement is true, please select “Yes” only if it was mentioned in the advertisement.

[PROGRAMMER: RANDOMIZE ORDER]	Yes, claim is in the advertisement	No, claim is not in the advertisement
a. blurred vision
b. headache
c. insomnia
d. diarrhea
e. skin sores
f. dry mouth
g. suicidal ideation
h. angioedema
i. paralysis
j. hallucinations

[INTENTION FOR DRUG USE AND INFORMATION SEEKING]

29. Based on the prescription drug advertisement, please rate how likely or unlikely you are to do each of the following behaviors.

	1 Not at all likely	2	3	4	5	6 Very likely
Look for more information about Veridan.
Direct your patients to, or provide them with, additional information about Veridan.
Talk with patients about Veridan.
Write a prescription for Veridan.
Write a prescription for another drug that treats diabetic peripheral neuropathy.

[SPECIFIC CLAIM BELIEF – PRICE COMPARISON]

29. The following statement appeared in the ad:

“If you currently prescribe Lyrica to treat diabetic peripheral neuropathy, switching your patients to Veridan could save them up to $560.00 a year.”

How accurate do you believe that statement is?

1	2	3	4	5	6
Not at all accurate					Very accurate

[IMPORTANCE OF PRICE COMPARISON CLAIM]

29. How important would the following statement be if you were deciding whether Veridan is a good option for your patients?

“If you currently prescribe Lyrica to treat diabetic peripheral neuropathy, switching your patients to Veridan could save them up to $560.00 a year.”

1	2	3	4	5	6
Not at all important					Very important

[SPECIFIC CLAIM BELIEF – PRICE COMPARISON DISCLOSURE]

29. The following statement appeared in the ad:

“The price savings presented may not reflect the actual savings by consumers or third-party payers. The products in this price comparison may or may not be equally effective or safe.”

How accurate do you believe that statement is?

1	2	3	4	5	6
Not at all accurate					Very accurate

[IMPORTANCE OF PRICE COMPARISON DISCLOSURE CLAIM]

29. How important would the following statement be if you were deciding whether Veridan is a good option for your patients?

“The price savings presented may not reflect the actual savings by consumers or third-party payers. The products in this price comparison may or may not be equally effective or safe.”

1	2	3	4	5	6
Not at all important					Very important

[Price disclosure comprehension]

SCRIPT: Please answer the following questions to the best of your ability.

29. Imagine you wanted to explain to a patient what the statement displayed below means. Please explain the statement in your own words.

“The price savings presented may not reflect the actual savings by consumers or third-party payers. The products in this price comparison may or may not be equally effective or safe.”

[OPEN-ENDED RESPONSE]

[PERCEIVED Medical condition knowledge]

SCRIPT: Next, we’d like to ask you a few questions about yourself.

Q37. In general, how much do you feel you know about diabetes? Would you say you know:

1	2	3	4	5	6
Nothing					A lot

Q38. How familiar are you with prescription drugs that treat diabetes?

1	2	3	4	5	6
Very unfamiliar					Very familiar

[price-quality perception]

Q39. Please indicate your level of agreement with the following statements. Please note that these questions refer to any product and not just prescription drugs.

	1 Strongly disagree	2	3	4	5	6 Strongly agree
Generally speaking, the higher the price of a product, the higher the quality.
The old saying "you get what you pay for" is generally true.
The price of the product is a good indicator of its quality.
You always have to pay a bit more for the best.

[value consciousness]

Q40. Please indicate your level of agreement with the following statements. Please note that these questions refer to any product and not just prescription drugs.

	1 Strongly disagree	2	3	4	5	6 Strongly agree
I generally shop around for lower prices on products, but they still must meet quality requirements before I buy them.
When shopping, I compare the prices of different brands to be sure I get the best value for the money.

[PATIENT PRICE CONCERNS]

SCRIPT: Next, we’d like to ask you a few questions about yourself and your patients.

41. How frequently do your patients initiate conversations or ask questions about the price of prescription drugs?

1	2	3	4
Never	Seldom	Often	Almost every visit or every visit

[Objective numeracy]

Q42. Please answer the following questions to the best of your ability.

Imagine that you flip a fair coin 1,000 times. What is your best guess about how many times the coin would come up heads in 1,000 flips?	Enter a number between 0 and 1,000 _____ [PROGRAMMER: Allow only numbers or symbols]
In the BIG BUCKS LOTTERY, the chance of winning a $10 prize is 1%. What is your best guess about how many people would win a $10 prize if 1,000 people each buy a single ticket to the BIG BUCKS LOTTERY?	Enter a number between 0 and 1,000 _____ [PROGRAMMER: Allow only numbers or symbols]
In ACME PUBLISHING SWEEPSTAKES, the chance of winning a car is 1 in 1,000. What percent of tickets to ACME PUBLISHING SWEEPSTAKES will win a car?	_____% [PROGRAMMER: Allow only numbers or symbols]

[HEALTH INSURANCE]

43. Roughly, what percent of your patients are insured by any form of health insurance or health plan?

Insured ____%

Uninsured ____%

Roughly, the total should sum to 100%

[YEARS IN PRACTICE]

43. Since completing your residency, how many years have you been a health care provider?

_____ years

43. Do you consider yourself a primary care provider or specialist?

• Primary care provider (family practice, general practice, and internal medicine) [Skip to Q47]

• Specialist

43. What is your primary area of specialization?

[OPEN-ENDED RESPONSE]

[SIZE OF PATIENT LOAD/WEEK]

SCRIPT: The next set of questions asks about a normal week. We define a normal week as a week with a normal case load, with no holidays, vacations, or conferences.

43. In a normal week, about how many patients do you see? This includes both walk-in and continuous care patients. If you are not sure, please provide your best guess.

_____ patients in a normal week

43. In a normal week, about how many patients with diabetes do you see? If you are not sure, please provide your best guess.

_____ patients in a normal week

[# OF PRESCRIPTIONS/WEEK]

43. In a normal week, about how many prescriptions do you write? This includes both refills and new prescriptions. If you are not sure, please provide your best guess.

_____ prescriptions in a normal week

SCRIPT: Finally, we would like to ask you a few questions about yourself for statistical purposes. This section will help us determine how representative the participants are who complete this questionnaire.

[AGE]

Q50. Please tell us your age. ___ years old.

[Ethnicity]

Q51. Are you Hispanic or Latino?

• Yes

• No

[Race]

Q52. What is your race? You may select one or more races.

• American Indian or Alaska Native

• Asian

• Black or African American

• Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander

• White

• Refuse to answer

[GENDER]

Q53. What is your gender?

• Male

• Female

[PRIOR EXPOSURE TO LYRICA Ad]

Q54. Have you ever seen any brochures for Lyrica before today?

• Yes

• No

• Unsure

Q55. Have you ever prescribed Lyrica?

 Yes

 No

 Unsure

[DEBRIEFING]

SCRIPT:

You have been very helpful. Thank you very much for taking part in this survey!

The purpose of this research is to learn about how people feel about information provided in provider-targeted prescription drug ads and to learn how they use this information to understand how well prescription drugs work. Veridan is not a product currently for sale. We used Lyrica in this study as an example comparison only.  Use of the brand name does not imply endorsement of the product by FDA.

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