AMA Calls for Ban on Prescription Drug TV Ads

AMA Calls for Ban on Prescription Drug TV Ads

We’ve all seen the influx of ads for medications promising a cure to whatever ails you. After an upbeat intro and even a cute cartoon about the drug’s benefits inevitably comes a laundry list of side effects that may include anything from excessive bleeding  to heart attack, stroke, and even death! These ads can convey a false and dangerous message to viewers of all ages that the benefits of taking these meds can outweigh the dangerous side effects. 

On November 17, 2015 the American Medical Association (AMA) called for an end to direct-to-consumer advertising for prescription drugs and implantable medical devices.  According to the AMA, the ads contribute to increasing cost, and lead to patient demand for inappropriate treatment.

“The vote in support of an advertising ban reflects concerns among physicians about the negative impact of commercially driven promotions and the role that marketing costs play in fueling escalating drug prices,” AMA Board Member Dr. Patrice Harris said in a news release published on the American Medical Association’s website at http://www.ama-assn.org. “Direct-to-consumer advertising also inflates demand for new and more expensive drugs, even when these drugs may not be appropriate.”

The United States and New Zealand are the only two countries in the world that allow direct-to-consumer advertising of prescription drugs. Drug manufacturers spent $4.5 billion for ads in the last two years, a 30 percent increase, according to the AMA, and prices for prescription drugs rose almost 5 percent in the past year. “Patient care can be compromised and delayed when prescription drugs are unaffordable and subject to coverage limitations by the patients’ health plan,” Harris said. She noted ads encourage the use of newer brand-name drugs, when lower-cost medications may be just as effective.

The trade group Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America says direct-to-consumer ads provide “scientifically accurate information to patients so that they are better informed about their health care and treatment options.” Spokesperson Tina Stow said the ads also encourage patients to visit their doctor “for important doctor-patient conversations about health that might otherwise not take place.”

Source: Join Together the Partnership for Drug-Free Kids http://www.drugfree.org/join-together/ama-urges-end-direct-consumer-advertising-prescription-drugs