The American Medical Association has called for a ban on advertising prescription drugs and medical devices directly to consumers. The AMA says that advertising causes patients to demand expensive treatments over less costly ones that are also effective. The new policy reflects doctors’ concerns that marketing spending, which has increased 30 per cent in annual to $4.5 bn, is driving up drug prices. A series of court decisions has determined the ads cannot be banned outright .The AMA did not address how the ban could be accomplished.
The American Medical Association has called for a ban on advertising prescription drugs and medical devices directly to consumers. The AMA says that advertising causes patients to demand expensive treatments over less costly ones that are also effective. The new policy reflects doctors’ concerns that marketing spending, which has increased 30 per cent in two years to $4.5 bn, is driving up drug prices. A series of court decisions has determined the ads cannot be banned outright .The AMA did not address how the ban could be accomplished.