TED Google searches increased 525% after teprotumumab commercial

Direct-to-consumer advertising may have helped to increase public interest for thyroid eye disease (TED), according to researchers who noted an increase in internet search traffic for TED after 2 advertising campaigns for teprotumumab.

“Google Trends may serve as a useful tool for measuring the influence of pharmaceutical advertising campaigns on information-seeking behavior in the public,” the authors wrote.

Researchers determined that TED-related searches from January 1, 2004 to June 30, 2019 had a stable baseline level mean (SD) relative search volume of 1.78 (1.25), which increased 25% in January 2020 after the US Food and Drug Administration approved teprotumumab.

The manufacturer of teprotumumab began 2 national advertising campaigns in December 2020 and May 2021. During these months there was a 525% and 640% increase in relative search volumes for the terms “thyroid eye disease,” “Tepezza,” and “teprotumumab”, respectively.

Reference
Strawbridge JC, Meer EA, Singh P, Rootman DB. Google Searches for Thyroid Eye Disease After Regulatory Approval of Teprotumumab. JAMA Ophthalmol. Published online April 28, 2022. doi:10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2022.1000