14 DAY TRIAL // The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) seeks to impose more legislation, to regulate the way drug ad campaigns are targeted at the citizens directly. America and New Zealand are the only two countries to allow such direct practices, while the European Union abandoned them a few years ago. Advertisements that are unsuitable to be watched by children have been running on national television for some time now, and lawmakers and consumer groups are looking to stamp that out.
The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) agreed that ads that were unsuitable for kids should only be aired during TV programs or in adult-targeted magazines, so as to minimize exposure. Drugs that had explicit commercials, such as those for Viagra and other impotency drugs, should also be banned or aired on restricted hours, consumer groups said.
"On one hand, PhRMA has taken our Committee's concerns seriously (...) on the other hand, some of these changes are merely a rewording of prior policy that does nothing to increase consumer protection," argues Michigan Democrat Rep. Bart Stupak, the head of the U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Committee's investigative panel. "What is needed is meaningful FDA regulation," ads Public Citizen's Health Research Group representative, Peter Lurie.
Another point that was reached by critics to the current status-quo was that of the presence of actors in drug commercials. Advocates for change say these should be banned, for increased consumer protection, because, through their charisma, actors can easily persuade a large portion of the population to buy a certain drug, even if they don't actually need it.
Also, the FDA says that endorsements from public figures must stop, as they also contribute a great deal to the rise in profits, while, at the same time, drawing attention away from the side effects. Critics also say that because of all the flashy appearance that drug ads employ, people get distracted from what's really important, which is to inquire or pay attention as to what the side effects might be.