Home
Life
U.S. Doctor Group Calls For Ban On Drug Advertising Directly To Consumers

U.S. Doctor Group Calls For Ban On Drug Advertising Directly To Consumers

By Reuters 18 Nov, 2015 09:52 EST

The American Medical Association on Tuesday called for a ban on advertising prescription drugs and medical devices directly to consumers, saying the ads drive patients to demand expensive treatments over less costly ones that are also effective.

The influential doctors' group said the new policy reflects physicians' concerns that marketing spending on a proliferation of advertising is helping to drive up drug prices. The group voted at its annual meeting in Atlanta to support a ban.

"Direct-to-consumer advertising also inflates demand for new and more expensive drugs, even when those drugs may not be appropriate," AMA Board Chair-elect Patrice Harris said in a statement.

The United States and New Zealand are the only two countries that allow direct-to-consumer advertising of prescription drugs.

AMA said drugmakers' spending on advertising has shot up 30 percent in the last two years to $4.5 billion. TV commercials for drugs such as Bristol-Myers Squibb's lung cancer medicine Opdivo and Gilead Sciences' Hepatitis C treatment Harvoni were among this year's ad campaigns.

U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has proposed cracking down on direct-to-consumer advertising and other measures to stop what she called "price gouging" by pharmaceutical companies. Clinton's plan would prevent companies from deducting what they spend on direct-to-consumer ads from their tax bills.

A series of court decisions has determined the ads cannot be banned outright because they are a form of commercial speech protected by the U.S. Constitution. The AMA did not address how the ban could be accomplished without being overturned in court.

PhRMA, the largest U.S. trade group for the pharmaceutical industry, said the ads increase consumer awareness of available treatments for diseases, including undiagnosed conditions.

"Providing scientifically accurate information to patients so that they are better informed about their health care and treatment options is the goal of direct-to-consumer pharmaceutical advertising about prescription medicines," PhRMA spokesman Tina Stow said in an email.

According to a U.S. Food and Drug Administration analysis this year, 52 percent of Americans believe direct-to-consumer ads do not have enough information about risks and 46 percent say the ads lack information about benefits.

Survey: Hong Kong teens generally identify with traditional Chinese cultural values

In order an effort to promote traditional Chinese culture, the Chinese YMCA of Hong Kong, in collaboration with Macao YMCA, Guangzhou Suigang'ao Teenagers Institute, and the Teacher Chang Foundation of Taiwan, has conducted a survey on teens measuring their cultural awareness. They found that Hong Kong youths generally identify with and support the values of traditional Chinese culture.
Global Lutherans celebrate Reformation Day, ‘trusting in the power of grace in a merciless time’.
Yesterday, October 31, was Reformation Day, and Lutherans around the world held various events in commemoration. In Singapore, the Lutheran Church advocated for Christian communion, while the German Lutheran Church encouraged believers to face the challenge of “trusting in the power of grace in a merciless time.”
Many American churchgoers expect their pastors’ sermons to help them understand and address modern cultural issues
American churchgoers are looking for more than biblical explanation from their pastor each week. Many expect the sermons to help them understand and address modern cultural issues.
2.1M Korean Christians estimated at joint worship service to affirm family, oppose gay marriage, pray for nation
In the afternoon of Reformation Sunday, Oct. 27, some 2.1 million Christians gathered for a joint worship service from 2pm to 5pm in Seoul, Korea to “unite for repentance, revival, and restoration of holiness in our society.” According to organizers, an estimated 1.1 million joined onsite despite the bad weather with another 1 million joining online. The unprecedented joint worship service brought together Korean churches across denominations as they affirmed traditional marriage and family and
Willow Creek Community Church invites believers to write prayer cards for the next president
This past Sunday, Willow Creek Community Church based in Illinois invited believers to “pray for the next president” during the service. The church not only expressed its concern for the upcoming election but also emphasized the role believers should play in the process and the importance of offering prayers for the nation's leaders.

U.S. Doctor Group Calls For Ban On Drug Advertising Directly To Consumers

Survey: Hong Kong teens generally identify with traditional Chinese cultural values

Many American churchgoers expect their pastors’ sermons to help them understand and address modern cultural issues American churchgoers are looking for more than biblical explanation from their pastor each week. Many expect the sermons to help them understand and address modern cultural issues.

Survey: Hong Kong teens generally identify with traditional Chinese cultural values

Global Lutherans celebrate Reformation Day, ‘trusting in the power of grace in a merciless time’.

Many American churchgoers expect their pastors’ sermons to help them understand and address modern cultural issues

2.1M Korean Christians estimated at joint worship service to affirm family, oppose gay marriage, pray for nation

Many American churchgoers expect their pastors’ sermons to help them understand and address modern cultural issues
American churchgoers are looking for more than biblical explanation from their pastor each week. Many expect the sermons to help them understand and address modern cultural issues.