A new study from Rodale says the number of people going online to compare prescription drugs has risen, reports Advertising Age.

Two years ago the number of people who used the web to compare drugs was at 46 percent. That has since risen to 61 percent. It's just one area where online users are using the web as part of the decision making process. This increases the importance a drug's official website can play, consider it too is part of the online world.

57 percent of consumers believe that direct-to-consumer advertising is done responsibly and most agree that DTC ads empower consumers to be more involved in the healthcare process. Even after receiving a prescription drug, 57 percent of people continue to do research on it.

Rodale also reports eight percent of consumers say an ad for a drug spurs a conversation with a health-care provider.