5 ms·

Hmm. Could you then disallow any advertising of drug while you're still without FDA endorsement? Like how you're not allowed to advertise cigarettes. I suspect

Hmm. Could you then disallow any advertising of drug while you're still without FDA endorsement? Like how you're not allowed to advertise cigarettes. I suspect this line of thinking just leads to too many problems, however.

frisco 10y ago
Not too many problems, that's in general exactly how it works today. FDA approvals are generally marketing approvals: what you're allowed to advertise your drug for and to who. Physicians can do more or less whatever they want in terms of prescribing things. (Drugs which aren't approved for marketing for anything yet are a little different, but can still be made available as an "investigational" drug, which is a much lower, primarily safety, bar.)
deleted 10y ago
[deleted]
teddyh 10y ago
Yes, it’s possible to do this. You may be surprised to hear that the USA is one of only two countries on the entire planet which it’s even legal to advertise drugs. All others outlaw it completely.
- Sacho 10y ago
  Indeed, that was surprising to hear, and a quick google search found me many countries in Europe where advertising drugs is legal, within some restrictive framework. Examples: Spain http://uk.practicallaw.com/0-618-5403#a202338 http://uk.practicallaw.com/0-618-5403#a202338 France http://uk.practicallaw.com/2-618-6699 http://uk.practicallaw.com/2-618-6699 )
  - comex 10y ago
    Both of those links say that there's a total ban on advertising prescription drugs to consumers, which is more specific than what the parent said but still very broad.
    - teddyh 10y ago
      I’m sorry, yes, I should have specified prescription drugs, as that is what I meant. In context, though, this was what was discussed by the grandparent post: “[…] people go to their doctor asking for Rx by name […]”.
- pessimizer 10y ago
  Before 1997 it was impractical to advertise them, though. You couldn't mention both the name of the drug and what it was for in an ad without including the entire warning label text. The deregulation was another Clinton thing, and its main beneficiary was the SSRIs.
  - azinman2 10y ago
    I believe that's still the case -- which is why we get all those commercials with happy people having family moments while a voice in the background quickly announces "if you have experience any of the following symptoms head to the ER immediately."

frisco 10y ago

Not too many problems, that's in general exactly how it works today. FDA approvals are generally marketing approvals: what you're allowed to advertise your drug for and to who. Physicians can do more or less whatever they want in terms of prescribing things. (Drugs which aren't approved for marketing for anything yet are a little different, but can still be made available as an "investigational" drug, which is a much lower, primarily safety, bar.)

deleted 10y ago

[deleted]

teddyh 10y ago

Yes, it’s possible to do this. You may be surprised to hear that the USA is one of only two countries on the entire planet which it’s even legal to advertise drugs. All others outlaw it completely.

Sacho 10y ago
Indeed, that was surprising to hear, and a quick google search found me many countries in Europe where advertising drugs is legal, within some restrictive framework. Examples: Spain http://uk.practicallaw.com/0-618-5403#a202338 http://uk.practicallaw.com/0-618-5403#a202338 France http://uk.practicallaw.com/2-618-6699 http://uk.practicallaw.com/2-618-6699 )
- comex 10y ago
  Both of those links say that there's a total ban on advertising prescription drugs to consumers, which is more specific than what the parent said but still very broad.
  - teddyh 10y ago
    I’m sorry, yes, I should have specified prescription drugs, as that is what I meant. In context, though, this was what was discussed by the grandparent post: “[…] people go to their doctor asking for Rx by name […]”.
pessimizer 10y ago
Before 1997 it was impractical to advertise them, though. You couldn't mention both the name of the drug and what it was for in an ad without including the entire warning label text. The deregulation was another Clinton thing, and its main beneficiary was the SSRIs.
- azinman2 10y ago
  I believe that's still the case -- which is why we get all those commercials with happy people having family moments while a voice in the background quickly announces "if you have experience any of the following symptoms head to the ER immediately."