Yesterday, Senator Bernie Sanders and Senator Angus King introduced the End Prescription Drug Ads Now Act, legislation that would ban all direct-to-consumer prescription drug advertising.
In announcing the legislation, Sanders said, ""The American people are sick and tired of greedy pharmaceutical companies spending billions of dollars on absurd TV commercials pushing their outrageously expensive prescription drugs. With the exception of New Zealand, the United States is the only country in the world where it is legal for pharmaceutical companies to advertise their drugs on television. It is time for us to end that international embarrassment. The American people don't want to see misleading and deceptive prescription drug ads on television. They want us to take on the greed of the pharmaceutical industry and ban these bogus ads."
It's too soon to tell whether this legislation (introduced by two independents) – which could have an enormous impact on the advertising industry – will get any traction. In light of the fact that Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has also called for a ban on prescription drug advertising, however, that may greatly increase the bill's chances of passing.
The proposed bill, which would take effect thirty days after enactment, would ban all direct-to-consumer advertising, without exception – "any promotional communication targeting consumers, including through television, radio, print media, digital platforms, and social media."
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