FREEDOM OF SPEECH IN DRUG ADVERTISING

Money in many ways is the main objective when you say the word business. Pharmaceutical companies are preying on the uneducated about health issues. They are convincing consumers that they need medications for everything imaginable. Pharmaceutical ads should not be advertised on television because they have a tendency to make the public hypochondriacs instead of being educated about their health. The FDA should focus on spending money to educate about health issues rather than on advertising . The FDA is once again in a battle with congress about blocking direct-consumer ad campaigns for new drugs. If Congress wants to fight the battle with the FDA Congress needs to find a new way of approaching the issue. Like for example conduct research of those medicines that are being advertised and are causing more side effects than being efficient. If congress can represent the evidence and research gathered in their argument they will be able to pass a bill on drug companies having direct-consumer ads.
The issue on drug advertising is rising and there are many questions and concerns about the situation at hand. Such as should pharmaceutical companies be allowed to advertise directly to consumers. If allowed, should the commercials be delayed six months to two years after the drug is approved by the Food & Drug Administration? If congress passes a bill on prohibiting drug advertisements that will put a major dent in pharmaceutical companies because they spend billions of dollars annually to get even more out and to increase the sales of their product. Consumers are susceptible to buying medicines that they are acquainted with rather than something new to the market that hasn’t quite been advertised. In all actuality having commercials delayed for a period of time is not the issue at hand the issue is that the commercials are making people oblivious to the fact that maintaining good health requires more than the correct prescription of medicine. Drug companies want consumers to be oblivious to other methods of staying healthy and are creating a medicine dependent world not for consumers well being but to simply increase revenue.
This battle of drug advertising has many contradictory points to it. Congress is trying to pass a bill on drugs from being advertised because they have negative side effects on some consumers and are causing illegal uses and addictions. If you analyze the issues at hand there are numerous products that are advertised daily in ads that have negative effects. Beer ads are everywhere you turn and have grown on the viewer to find it amusing and acceptable. Congress is not attempting to put a ban on beer ads so why do the same for drug ads. Both can be detrimental to the consumer. Fast food ads are another common facet on television that have been around and will continue being around. Majority of fast foods is not healthy and do cause severe health issues down the road. But are still not in battle with Congress on trying to prohibit ads from being ran. This issue is contradictory because Congress is trying to ban pharmaceutical ads from being advertised but are not putting regulations on fast food or alcoholic beverages. That will eventually cause the consumer to have health issues and will need prescription medications to alleviate their illness rather it be heart disease, diabetes or a patient that has recently suffered from a severe heart attack. If congress is trying to pass a bill on medicine being advertised than they need to do the same with fast food companies and alcoholic beverages companies.