Ban On Prescription Drug Ads Long Overdue [Opinion]

Some Americans are forced to choose between buying groceries, and their medications. The major pharmaceutical companies, meanwhile, reap monstrous profits. I'm not opposed to companies making a lot of money, but this is obscene.Sweeping legislation was passed by Congress in 2003, allowing Big Pharma to renew patents by making cosmetic changes to pill & capsules. This delays the availability of less expensive generics. The bill was passed in the early morning hours, with more than 1,000 lobbyists on the floor. The companies say they need to keep prices high to fund research. That's a lot of crap! The American pharmaceutical industry spent 4.5 billion dollars on advertising in 2014. Direct marketing also creates demand for medications that the average person isn't qualified to decide they need. If you have a condition you believe needs to be treated by a prescription medication, you need to see a doctor. The American Medical Association voted to ban prescription drug advertising in February. They, unfortunately, aren't a legislative body. Only two nations in the world allow direct marketing of prescription drugs, New Zealand and the US.