TBF, here in Australia people go into their GP's office and ask for specific meds all the time. Dad did it all the time. I've been known to do it. I've even been asked which I wanted by my GP, because he knows I do my homework.

And I think that's the difference. Without direct-to-consumer advertising, patients who are asking for something specific have probably done some work. They may well be wrong, but less wrong than if their information source was a sporting event billboard. 

 I think that's fair and those who actually do their homework will/would still. Maybe you can argue that even knowing what to research would be inhibited by the lack of D2C advertising.