Doctors group calls for limits on drug advertising (press release)

Email this article to a friend

Printable Version

Articles Related to This Article: • The great direct-to-consumer prescription drug advertising con: how patients and doctors alike are easily influenced to demand dangerous drugs • The truth about medical journals, and how drug companies exert heavy influence over published scientific articles • Cigarettes, Lies, and Pet Food Advertising Support NaturalNews advertisers - Advertise with NaturalNews Help support NaturalNews with health books and educational programs from Truth Publishing: • Swine Flu Advanced Preparedness • 8 Weeks to Vibrant Health • Raw In Ten Minutes (recipes) • How to Halt Diabetes in 25 Days ... and much more.

The largest U.S. physicians' group on Wednesday called for moratoriums on consumer advertising promoting new drugs and medical devices until the products are shown to be safe and that they work.

In a new policy, the American Medical Association urged the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to require manufacturers to wait for an unspecified period after a drug or device obtains regulatory approval before launching direct-to-consumer advertising in print, on television, or elsewhere.

The doctors' group had considered a years-long moratorium, but decided to let the FDA set the time span, which could depend on whether the drug or device breaks new ground.

Physicians have complained about patients who demand inappropriate drugs after being persuaded by a drug company's advertisement. Drug makers have said the ads educate the public and only advise patients to ask their doctors.

The AMA's house of delegates, setting the group's policy at its annual meeting, recommended the FDA pre-approve such advertisements and ensure they are based on objective information from clinical trials, reveal the balance between a product's benefits and risks, and define warnings and potential adverse reactions clearly and understandably.

"Physicians will have the opportunity to become better educated on the pros and cons of prescription drug uses before prescribing them, and will be better able to determine when they are best suited for their patients' medical needs," the AMA's president-elect, Dr. Ronald Davis, said in a statement.

A drug industry group said it shares the AMA's goal of educating the public, citing last year's agreement among manufacturers to voluntarily inform the health-care community before launching consumer ads.

"The length of time this requires will vary from medicine to medicine, and companies will likely meet this goal in different ways," said Dr. Paul Antony of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America.

The AMA's action was prompted by recalls of high-profile drugs such as Merck's 2004 withdrawal of Vioxx, which had a huge advertising budget, and problematic side affects that have become apparent sometimes years after a drug or device hits the market.

Vioxx was found to increase the risks of heart attack and stroke, and some plaintiffs have argued in lawsuits that Merck continued to promote the painkiller despite knowledge that it carried risks.

Share

Get articles like this delivered to you FREE in our popular email newsletter

Related CounterThink Cartoons:

Related Articles: • The great direct-to-consumer prescription drug advertising con: how patients and doctors alike are easily influenced to demand dangerous drugs • The truth about medical journals, and how drug companies exert heavy influence over published scientific articles • Cigarettes, Lies, and Pet Food Advertising	Take Action: Support NaturalNews.com Email this article to a friend Share this article on: NewsVine | digg | del.icio.us Permalink to this article: http://www.NaturalNews.com/019955_advertising_doctors_drug_advertising.html Reprinting this article: Non-commercial use OK, cite NaturalNews.com with clickable link. Embed article link: (copy HTML code below): <a href = "http://www.NaturalNews.com/019955_advertising_doctors_drug_advertising.html">Doctors group calls for limits on drug advertising (press release)</a>