Ban TV ads for prescription drugs

Adapted from Robert Whitcomb's "Digital Diary,'' in GoLocal24.com

As we seek to control healthcare costs, one place to look is on TV. There, especially on shows that appeal to an older demographic, such as the evening network news, you can see a Niagara of ads for new and expensive brand-name drugs that purport to be better than the meds that are on the market already – mostly much cheaper generics. Often the new pills are no better (or actually worse, with dangerous side-effects) than the current ones, although their ad copy is sexy.

People see these ads and then ask their overworked physicians for a prescription for these pricey pills. Some physicians cave in and write a script to move the patients out of their offices ASAP. Keep ‘em happy! We all get the bill in higher insurance premiums, and surging Medicaid and Medicare costs.

It has been a financial disaster except for the drug companies. And few consumers are competent to understand all the workings of these drugs hyped on the tube. Too often we confuse “new’’ with “better’’ – a confusion that the drug companies are pleased to promote.

Up to about 20 years ago,  advertising  on TV of prescription drugs was banned. That ban should be restored ASAP for the nation's  physical  and fiscal health.

Meanwhile, sometimes the old, cheap out-of-patent drugs may prevent or treat ailments they weren’t invented for.  Consider trazadone, used to treat anxiety and depression, and often given to older people as a sleep aid. It turns out it may help prevent or slow dementia.  If trials work out, this could turn out to be a huge benefit to America’s surging population of old folks and their families. And save vast sums of money.