, Columnist
This Crackdown on Drug Ads Is Long Overdue
President Trump’s order for tighter rules is a good start, but to succeed it needs tough enforcement and adequate resources.
Who are you listening to — the ads or your doctor?
Photographer: Spencer Platt/Getty Images
The Trump administration’s crackdown on pharmaceutical ads is a welcome step toward lessening Big Pharma’s influence over conversations between patients and their doctors.
Americans are among the few people in the world bombarded with advertisements for medications most of us don’t need — New Zealand is the only other country that allows direct-to-consumer drug advertising. These policies have given pharmaceutical companies significant influence over consumer behavior when it comes to health.