After adopting a new policy aimed at “driving solutions to make prescription drugs more affordable” in the US, the American Medical Association (AMA) is calling for a ban on the direct-to-consumer advertising of prescription drugs and medical devices. According to Patrice Harris (1), AMA Board Chair-elect, “Direct-to-consumer advertising inflates demand for new and more expensive drugs, even when these drugs may not be appropriate.”

The US and New Zealand are the only two countries in the world that allow direct-to-consumer advertising of prescription drugs – and there are supporters on both sides of the cause. AMA claims that the high costs of marketing also drive up drug prices, since pharma companies will need to offset the marketing costs. A study has also shown that direct-to-consumer ads can inflate demand; the study showed that the number of prescriptions written for the 50 most advertised drugs rose 25 percent in one year, compared to a 4 percent increase in prescriptions for all other drugs (2).