Tell Congress: Stop Prescription Drug Ads

[Joe234]

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http://democracyinaction.org/dia/org...g_ads_home.dwt

Tell Congress: Stop Prescription Drug Ads
Each year, drug executives spend $4 billion on prescription drug ads for pills they say will make you feel happier, sleep better and improve your sex life.

The ads are not educational, and do not promote public health. They can be extremely dangerous, as the Vioxx tragedy shows.

The Public Health Protection Act will stop all direct-to-consumer drug ads. Thirty-nine organizations have endorsed this legislation.

Now we need your help.

Tell your Members of Congress to support the Public Health Protection Act. Take action now.

[GoVegan]

Your kidding? I absolutely agree with the fact that we have too many drug ads and they might be promoting the wrong message BUT I am sick and tired of Congress trying to tell me what I can read, listen to or stick in my mouth! Asking Congress to ban this type of stuff is not the answer but rather the public not expecting a pill to pop for every problem and asking their own doctors for alternatives that might be out there for whatever ails them. I have a have a feeling that if people ate right, exercised and got rest our health care costs would be cut in half overnight.

[lxskllr]

I've got mixed feelings on that. I agree that prescription drug ads are BS, but I don't know that legislation's the answer. I'd prefer they leave those ads, and start showing tobacco ads again.

[Joe234]

Your kidding? I absolutely agree with the fact that we have too many drug ads and they might be promoting the wrong message BUT I am sick and tired of Congress trying to tell me what I can read, listen to or stick in my mouth! Asking Congress to ban this type of stuff is not the answer but rather the public not expecting a pill to pop for every problem and asking their own doctors for alternatives that might be out there for whatever ails them. I have a have a feeling that if people ate right, exercised and got rest our health care costs would be cut in half overnight.

They used to be illegal. There were no prescription drugs ads allowed on TV.
the only drug ads allowed were for over the counter medicines.

As long as they are going to ban tobacco ads on TV these poison drug ads need to go!

Prescription drugs killed more Floridians than illegal drugs in 2009, according to report
http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2010/jul/...oridians-than/

The US Food and Drug Administration continues to regulate prescription drug advertisements to ensure that the ads are not false or misleading in any way.
In Aug. 1999 the FDA issued guidance on direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertising of prescription drugs through broadcast media when it released its industry guidance document Consumer-Directed Broadcast Advertisements (36 KB) . The 1999 guidance document described how companies could make "adequate provision" of prescription drug packaging information in broadcast media advertisements without directly disclosing the more detailed risk information that must accompany print advertisements.
Between 1999 and 2000 it is estimated that direct-to-consumer advertising increased retail sales of the 25 most popular drug categories by 12%. The top five were antidepressants, antihyperlipidemics (cholesterol-lowering), proton pump inhibitors (acid reflux/heartburn), nasal sprays, and antihistamines. For every $1.00 spent on advertising, pharmaceutical retail sales increased by $4.20 (193 KB) .
In 2007, the pharmaceutical industry was estimated to be spending $4.8 billion dollars a year advertising prescription drugs directly to the public.

In 2008, the sale of prescription drugs was a $291 billion dollar a year business in the United States.
As of 2009, the United States and New Zealand are the only two countries where direct to consumer (DTC) advertising of prescription drugs is legal (932 KB) .

[desirexe]

If I told Congress to stop these ads, it would be out of revenge for the PACT nonsense. I know, two totally different things but as others have said here, it goes along telling people what they can and can't have in our country. I would be no better than the anti-tobacco groups. However, I do want them to quit showing that stupid commercial with the wind-up doll and piano music, for Pristique I believe? That commercial is truly false advertising. I think EVERYONE could feel like they need to be energized by something, the answer is not always in a pill! JC! That's what Redbull is for! hehe...

[GoVegan]

I am not disagreeing with your position that prescription drugs are dangerous and do kill people. Drugs like Oxycodone are just as bad when they are abused as any street drug. I just don't think that censorship is the answer. How about congress doing their best to ensure that I have open access to any information available out there and then letting me make my own decisions about what I am going to take or not take?

[Guest]

Crikey, they would never allow prescription drugs to be advertised on TV in the UK.

[EricHill78]

People (well on the most part) are smart enough to know to ignore those ads. What I think is hilarious is all the side effects of these drugs. A birth control that can cause heart attacks and deaths. What really is ironic is the depression, bipolar drugs. They say they can cause "suicidal thoughts and actions". Now that is ironic.

I would really love Swedish snus ads widespread to spread the word. For them to be able to say it is a safe alternative to cigarettes would be wonderfull. I know that would never happen.

[Guest]

What I think is hilarious is all the side effects of these drugs. A birth control that can cause heart attacks and deaths. What really is ironic is the depression, bipolar drugs. They say they can cause "suicidal thoughts and actions". Now that is ironic.

I've noticed that quite a few times on prescription drug inserts where listed along the side effects are the actual ailment they're trying to treat. Weird.

[desirexe]

I also don't think drug ads are the problem here in the U.S, it is the DOCTORS who are so willing to push drugs and why is this? So perhaps a better focus of congress would be to change up how drug reps operate. I have heard and don't know if there is any truth to this, but it is the drug reps sales pitch that sways a doc to prescribe more of that company's drug...Or do companies such as Astra Zeneca PAY the doctors?? Am I totally wrong here??

[Simplysnus]

Drug reps spend a lot of money on doctors as far as wining and dining, golf outings, etc. I know this not firsthand, but via an immediate family member. I don't believe they are paid directly though, I think that violate existing ethics rules.

[GoVegan]

Drug reps spend a lot of money on doctors as far as wining and dining, golf outings, etc. I know this not firsthand, but via an immediate family member. I don't believe they are paid directly though, I think that violate existing ethics rules.

Kind of like the same pay system these congresspeople use that we are asking to protect us.

[bakerbarber]

United States and New Zealand are the ONLY two countries in the world that allow this!

I've been telling people this for YEARS! People act like they never noticed until you bring it up. The ads are louder and longer than other commercials.

They are manipulative as all hell. Pharm. reps are so far after Doctor's asses too it's sick. My dad's Dr. has a big sign that says when the reps. are allowed in to see him.

How many ads don't even tell you what the pill is for too?!? "ASK YOUR DOCTOR ABOUT......"

And the music.

The Chantix commercials are what led me to realize how pervasive prescription ads are. In 2006 or so. It was crazy....

It's like the funniest B.S. sometimes too, because they state the possible side effects sometimes for 30 - 45 seconds, and then say, "ASK YOUR DOCTOR IF <><><> IS RIGHT FOR YOU!"

Cracks me up. I bet Drs. are sick of people self-diagnosing and asking for medicine and shit. I can see them rolling their eyes. "I was on WIKI and my symptoms are the same as the Black Plaque.." The internet is a hypochondriacs wonderland.

I don't like the ads. People are silly enough from the fluoride in the water. Big Pharma can suck a fat one. Greedy manipulative bastards...

read this >> http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases...0812083608.htm
CRAZY HUH!?!

[snusgetter]

... read this >> http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases...0812083608.htm
CRAZY HUH!?!

That's right, just take a pill with the swill ... conscience is now clear!!

"Fast food outlets could provide statin drugs free of charge so that customers can neutralise the heart disease dangers of fatty food"

These are good odds? On what planet?

"problems in the liver and kidneys reported in between 1 in 1,000 and 1 in 10,000 people"

Big Pharma thanks you, Dr Francis. The check is in the mail.

[texastorm]

I believe that any smart person understands that prescription drugs are dangerous, and if some stupid people die because they cant just look at a warning label 2 pages long and think "hmmm maybe I should read through this?" then they should probably die anyway. Its this reason they are "prescription"... because they are "dangerous" why can't people use common sense... do you really think a ban on commercials will stop a doctor from prescribing it? Heck no, I know several people working in sales departments of drug companies... you get a group of doctors in a room, feed them a catered meal, hand out some free samples to give patients, and sometimes you buy them off.... its the way of the world... I say if your not smart enough to NOT believe everything you see on tv you should probably be banned from owning a tv. Thats a better ban than banning commercials.

I believe that Joe here is annoyed by these ads (as am I) and that is 50% of the reason he wants to ban them, the other 50% is an over zealous sense of self empowerment in which he believes he should be helping others by passing restrictive laws because he is so awesome and smarter than they are. Joe you cannot protect all the stupid people... you just cant. Most any intelligent person understands there are risks to taking anything called a drug, be it legal or otherwise. Its the "better than you" liberal plague that makes me shudder when I think of the left. Dont worry I talk about the right with equal despise.

Why can't common sense rule the day in this country? Why can someone sue over placing a questionable substance in there mouth because someone "said" that it was a cure for something. Your putting something foreign in your mouth you moron... you might be the one tardo thats allergic... So your family should get millions?

I dont think so.

Sorry for the mad rant but this hits on a personal level. Every day I believe more and more in natural selection... let the weak die, the world will be a better place.