A new poll from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health shows that 57% of Americans would like prescription drug advertisements to be banned from television, while 34% oppose such a ban. Among those surveyed, 7% stated that they had considered...
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A new poll from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health shows that 57% of Americans would like prescription drug advertisements to be banned from television, while 34% oppose such a ban.

Among those surveyed, 7% stated that they had considered taking a prescription drug they viewed on television over the past 12 months, while 93% said that they had not. Of the respondents who considered taking a drug they saw advertised on television, 76% believed the advertisements clearly stated the risks and side effects associated with the drug.

In 1999, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released regulations for prescription drug advertisements on television in a report titled “Guidance for Industry: Consumer-Directed Broadcast Advertisements.” The FDA rules required that all broadcast ads include brief information about the major risks associated with any drug being advertised.

On Nov. 17, 2015, the American Medical Association (AMA) issued a public call to ban direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertising of prescription drugs. AMA Board Chair Patrice A. Harris said the AMA’s decision “reflects concerns among physicians about the negative impact of commercially-driven promotions, and the role that marketing costs play in fueling escalating drug prices.” According to the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), “government agencies and independent experts report no direct relationship between drug marketing and drug prices.”

The Congressional Budget Office reported in 2011 that the average number of prescriptions for new drugs with DTC advertising was nine times greater than prescriptions for new drugs without DTC ads.

The United States and New Zealand are currently the only two countries where DTC advertising of prescription drugs is legal 

(via Most Americans Want Prescription Drug Ads Banned from TV - ProCon.org)

Source: procon.org

FDA Requirements for Prescription Drug Ads

Prescription drugs may be advertised in three types of ads: 

1. Product claim ads require the most information and give both the drug name and a medical condition the drug treats;

2. Help-seeking ads may only describe a medical condition or disease but may not name a drug;

3. Reminder ads may name a drug but no medical conditions or diseases. 

The FDA sets regulations for prescription drug ads, but it does not review ads before they are released to the public. If an ad violates the regulations, the FDA takes action to have the pharmaceutical company correct or remove the ad. 

Below are the requirements for each type of ad from the FDA’s June 6, 2013 “Be Smart about Prescription Drug Advertising: A Guide for Consumers,” available at www.fda.gov.

Pros and Cons of Abortion, Obesity as a Disease, and Prescription Drug Ads Debated at ProCon.org

red apple health
ProCon.org, America’s largest provider of free pro and con research on controversial issues, has updated and expanded its information on the controversial health topics of abortion, obesity, and prescription drug advertising to consumers. 

These three health topics explore the core questions: “Should abortion be legal?,” “Is obesity a disease?,” and “Should prescription drugs be advertised directly to consumers?”

Should Prescription Drugs Be Advertised Directly to Consumers?

Should Prescription Drugs Be Advertised Directly to Consumers?The US and New Zealand are the only two countries where direct to consumer (DTC) advertising of prescription drugs is legal.  In the US, these ads are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ensure that they are not false or misleading.

Many research organizations and pharmaceutical industry groups contend that the ads are educational, provide consumers with important information that may benefit their health, and help generate sales revenue necessary to offset high research and development costs.

Opponents counter that DTC drug ads are often just sales pitches which pressure doctors to provide unnecessary medications and cause patients to seek unhelpful and costly remedies. They say that the FDA does an inadequate job of making sure drug ads are not false or misleading. Read more…

Should Prescription Drugs Be Advertised Directly to Consumers?

Should Prescription Drugs Be Advertised Directly to Consumers?The US and New Zealand are the only two countries where direct to consumer (DTC) advertising of prescription drugs is legal.  In the US, these ads are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ensure that they are not false or misleading.

Many research organizations and pharmaceutical industry groups contend that the ads are educational, provide consumers with important information that may benefit their health, and help generate sales revenue necessary to offset high research and development costs.

Opponents counter that DTC drug ads are often just sales pitches which pressure doctors to provide unnecessary medications and cause patients to seek unhelpful and costly remedies. They say that the FDA does an inadequate job of making sure drug ads are not false or misleading. Read more…

Should prescription drugs be advertised directly to consumers?

Should prescription drugs be advertised directly to consumers?The US and New Zealand are the only two countries where direct to consumer (DTC) advertising of prescription drugs is legal.  In the US, these ads are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ensure that they are not false or misleading.

Many research organizations and pharmaceutical industry groups contend that the ads are educational, provide consumers with important information that may benefit their health, and help generate sales revenue necessary to offset high research and development costs.

Opponents counter that DTC drug ads are often just sales pitches which pressure doctors to provide unnecessary medications and cause patients to seek unhelpful and costly remedies. They say that the FDA does an inadequate job of making sure drug ads are not false or misleading. Read more…