I had a discussion with Freepers some time back and I thought they should be banned (I even had one jackwad who maintained the pharmaceutical commercials were “educational” and he kept asking me if I was against educating people)
Two Freepers rightfully pointed out it was a 1st Amendment issue, and...I had to reluctantly agree.
As much as I hated to do so.
I don’t watch television, but every time I glance at one in passing, there seems to be a pharmaceutical commercial on, often with two men or two women holding hands or some crap like that.
Your first instincts were correct.
They are called controlled substances for a reason - Fed.gov is the controlling authority.
There are numerous other aspects that move drug ads out of the first amenendment, including precedent.
It’s already been done. Legally.
I really don’t see it as a 1st Amendment issue, as companies are not citizens.
The US citizen owners should be free to say what they want, however.
1st ammendment issue? How is it cigarettes are banned and alcohol consumption is banned on TV?
The purpose of drug advertising is not to sell drugs.
The purpose of drug advertising is to become the primary source of "brought to you by Pfizer" advertising revenue for the antique gaslight "news" media so they will never publish anything negative about the pharmaceutical industry.
It appears to me that drug ads themselves are an offense to the first amendment because the drug companies use them as blackmail to suppress negative news about themselves.