Sens. Bernie Sanders and Angus King have introduced a bill in the Senate that would ban drugmakers from advertising their products on television.
The End Prescription Drug Ads Now Act would also prohibit prescribed medications from being advertised on radio, print, and digital platforms. The two senators, who caucus with the Democrats, say their proposal is similar to one suggested by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
The senators cited a report indicating that the pharmaceutical industry spends $5 billion per year on advertising.
“The widespread use of direct-to-consumer advertising by pharmaceutical companies drives up costs and doesn’t necessarily make patients healthier,” King said. “The End Prescription Drug Ads Now Act would prohibit direct-to-consumer advertising of pharmaceutical drugs to protect people. This bill is a great step to ensure that patients are getting the best information possible and from the right source: their providers and not biased advertisements.”
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According to a 2013 study published by the National Institutes of Health in the Journal of General Internal Medicine, direct-to-consumer advertisements lead to increased pharmaceutical spending by the public.
"These findings add to the weight of evidence that DTC advertising likely promotes unnecessary treatment, which in turn would lead to excessive prescription drug spending," the report said.
The report followed the Food and Drug Administration's relaxation of regulations in 1997 surrounding the advertising of medicines to the public. The FDA previously required a brief summary of all potential side effects. Now, drugmakers can provide only a "major statement" on the drug's most significant side effects.
In 2015, the American Medical Association endorsed a ban on direct-to-consumer advertising by drugmakers. “Direct-to-consumer advertising also inflates demand for new and more expensive drugs, even when these drugs may not be appropriate," the AMA's report said.
