“According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, prescription drug abuse has reached "epidemic" proportions; deaths from prescription drugs, particularly opioid analgesics, now vie with automobile accidents as the most common cause of accidental death.” (Herzberg 106.3: 408-10). This has become the norm, people take prescription drugs instead of changing their lifestyle, because the latter requires discipline and self restraint. Physicians attend medical school and pass rigorous testing to become a licensed provider, prescription drug advertising is an insult to physicians. They take an oath, “To do no harm”. They are compromised with the current advertising conundrum, knowing that if a patient does not get the prescription they …show more content…
In recent years, prices for both generic and brand-name prescription drugs have risen as well, including a 4.7% spike in 2015. ” (Gault 93.3: 28). Direct to consumer advertising of prescription drugs costs money, mainly to the consumer, causing the public to pay more than necessary for their prescriptions. Harris agrees, “Patient care can be compromised and delayed when prescription drugs are unaffordable and subject to coverage limitations by the patient's health plan." (Gault 93.3: 28). In addition to the financial concerns, it drastically affects the way patients interact with their doctors. Gray points out, “The presence of ads is getting in the way of the doctor-patient relationship.” (Collier 188.3: 176). The time has come to take action; pharmaceutical companies should not be conducting studies with dollar signs in their eyes. Promoting their drugs in a way that misinforms the public, causing physicians to suffer, and struggle to educate their patients properly. Direct to consumer advertising of prescription drugs is unethical and harmful to the community, it’s time to pull these marketing strategies off the air, and give the power to prescribe back to the