AMA Calls for Banning Consumer Ads for Prescription Drugs, Medical Devices

Physicians at the Interim Meeting of the American Medical Association adopted a new policy that promotes banning direct-to-consumer advertising of prescription drugs and medical devices.

They say the policy, which also calls for convening a physician task force and launching an advocacy campaign to promote prescription drug affordability by demanding choice and competition in the pharmaceutical industry, and greater transparency in prescription drug prices and costs, will help lower prices of prescription drugs.

According to a press release by the AMA, the United States and New Zealand are the only two countries in the world that allow direct-to-consumer advertising of prescription drugs.

"The AMA will encourage actions by federal regulators to limit anticompetitive behavior by pharmaceutical companies attempting to reduce competition from generic manufacturers through manipulation of patent protections and abuse of regulatory exclusivity incentives," read the press release.