Latest news with #EndPrescriptionDrugAdsNowAct
Yahoo
19 hours ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Bernie Sanders and RFK Jr. find rare common ground over pharmaceutical ads on TV: ‘Sick and tired'
Wegovy, Farxiga, Vraylar ... the stream of drug ads on TV has gotten so pervasive that they're bringing together an unlikely pair of politicians to take them on. Independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, who caucuses with Democrats, is backing an effort pushed by Trump Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to ban pharmaceutical ads on TV. Sanders introduced the End Prescription Drug Ads Now Act alongside fellow independent Senator Angus King of Maine. They both caucus with the Democrats. If passed, the legislation would ban prescription drug ads from TV, radio, print, digital platforms, and social media. Those critical of the ads argue that they push the price of healthcare even higher, even as they don't help to improve the care patients receive. Supporters of the ads say that they can increase patients' understanding of the care available. However, most wealthy nations, apart from the U.S. and New Zealand, ban pharmaceutical ads, Newsweek noted. Kennedy has yet to comment on the legislation, which Sanders and King revealed on Thursday. They noted that the pharmaceutical industry spent more than $5 billion on TV ads last year, adding that many of the drugs advertised cost more in the U.S. than they do in countries where pharmaceutical ads are banned. "The American people are sick and tired of greedy pharmaceutical companies spending billions of dollars on absurd TV commercials pushing their outrageously expensive prescription drugs," said Sanders, calling the U.S. policy of allowing such ads an "international embarrassment." Anna Bahr, Sanders' director of communications, told Newsweek that the senator's office has contacted Republicans about joining the bill. She noted that the pharmaceutical and health insurance industries have lobbied to prevent the banning of such ads. Bahr told Newsweek: "Over the past 25 years, the drug companies have spent $8.5 billion on lobbying. Today, they have some 1,800 well-paid lobbyists in Washington, D.C. – including former leaders of the Republican and Democratic parties.' "Unbelievably, that is more than three lobbyists for every member of Congress. During that same period, they have provided over $700 million in campaign contributions. And they are equal opportunity contributors. They contribute heavily to both Republican and Democratic candidates,' she added. Kennedy and Elon Musk have both openly backed the idea of banning pharmaceutical ads. "Let's get President Trump back in the White House and me to DC so we can ban pharmaceutical advertising," he wrote on X on November 3 last year. As he campaigned for president, Kennedy said he would sign an executive order on his first day in office banning pharmaceutical ads. Also in November 2024, Musk wrote on X: "No advertising for pharma." "The widespread use of direct-to-consumer advertising by pharmaceutical companies drives up costs and doesn't necessarily make patients healthier,' King said in a statement. 'The End Prescription Drug Ads Now Act would prohibit direct-to-consumer advertising of pharmaceutical drugs to protect people. This bill is a great step to ensure that patients are getting the best information possible and from the right source: their providers and not biased advertisements." Several Democratic senators have signed on to co-sponsor the legislation, including Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy, Vermont Sen. Peter Welch, Oregon Sen. Jeff Merkley, and Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin, Sanders' office has stated.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Bernie Sanders, Angus King Propose Drug Advertising Ban in Consumer Marketing
Sens. Bernie Sanders and Angus King have introduced new legislation that would ban prescription drug advertising on television, radio, print, digital platforms and social media. The bill, known as the End Prescription Drug Ads Now Act, would apply to all drugs and biologics, including those currently on the market. 'With the exception of New Zealand, the United States is the only country in the world where it is legal for pharmaceutical companies to advertise their drugs on television. It is time for us to end that international embarrassment,' Sanders said in a statement. 'The American people don't want to see misleading and deceptive prescription drug ads on television. They want us to take on the greed of the pharmaceutical industry and ban these bogus ads.' The lawmakers note that the 10 largest drug companies made more than 100 billion in profits last year, with the pharmaceutical industry spending over $5 billion on television ads. They added that prescription drug commercials account for more than 30% of commercial time on major networks' evening news programs and that Big Pharma spent over $725 million advertising just 10 drugs in the first three months of 2025. Additionally, the pair noted that the prices for drugs in the U.S. are among the highest in the world, with one in four Americans not able to afford the costs of the medicine their doctors prescribe. For example, Novo Nordisk charges nearly $1,000 a month for Ozempic in the United States, compared to $59 in Germany, $71 in France, $122 in Denmark, and $155 in Canada, and $1,349 a month for Wegovy, compared to $92 in the United Kingdom, $137 in Germany, $186 in Denmark and $265 in Canada. 'The widespread use of direct-to-consumer advertising by pharmaceutical companies drives up costs and doesn't necessarily make patients healthier,' King added. 'The End Prescription Drug Ads Now Act would prohibit direct-to-consumer advertising of pharmaceutical drugs to protect people. This bill is a great step to ensure that patients are getting the best information possible and from the right source: their providers and not biased advertisements.' The introduction of the End Prescription Drug Ads Now Act follows repeated calls from Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. calling for a ban on prescription drug advertising. The Campaign for Sustainable Rx Pricing estimates that prohibiting pharmaceutical advertising could increase federal tax revenues by $1.5 to $1.7 billion annually from 10 of the largest pharmaceutical companies operating in the U.S. In addition to Sanders and King, cosponsors of the legislation include Democratic Sens. Chris Murphy, Peter Welch, Jeff Merkley and Dick Durbin. More to come… The post Bernie Sanders, Angus King Propose Drug Advertising Ban in Consumer Marketing appeared first on TheWrap.
Newsweek
2 days ago
- Health
- Newsweek
Bernie Sanders Introduces Bill Backing RFK Jr., Elon Musk Priority
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Senator Bernie Sanders is leading a new bill to address a key priority of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who serves as President Donald Trump's Health and Human Services Secretary. Why It Matters Sanders, a Vermont independent, alongside Senator Angus King, a Maine independent, introduced the "End Prescription Drug Ads Now Act," which, if passed, would ban prescription drug advertising on TV, radio, print and digital platforms as well as social media. Critics say these ads contribute to the high price of healthcare while doing little to improve care in the United States, though proponents say the advertisements can improve patients' knowledge of healthcare. Most wealthy countries, with the U.S. and New Zealand being two notable exceptions, ban pharmaceutical drug advertisements. The bill also represents an issue where Sanders, viewed as perhaps the most progressive senator, has found common ground with Kennedy inside the Trump administration, though the secretary has not commented on this bill specifically. What to Know Sanders and King announced the legislation on Thursday, highlighting that the pharmaceutical industry spent more than $5 billion on TV ads in 2024 and that many of these drugs cost more in the U.S. than in other countries that do not allow drug companies to run ads on TV. "The American people are sick and tired of greedy pharmaceutical companies spending billions of dollars on absurd TV commercials pushing their outrageously expensive prescription drugs," Sanders said, describing the fact that the U.S. stands mostly alone in allowing pharmaceutical ads as an "international embarrassment." vSenator Bernie Sanders, a Vermont independent, questions U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. during a committee hearing on May 14, 2025 in Washington, D.C. vSenator Bernie Sanders, a Vermont independent, questions U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. during a committee hearing on May 14, 2025 in Washington, director of communications Anna Bahr confirmed to Newsweek his office has reached out to Republicans to join the bill. Bahr pointed to lobbying from the pharmaceutical and health insurance industries as to why the U.S. has not joined other countries in bannign the ads. "Over the past 25 years, the drug companies have spent $8.5 billion on lobbying. Today, they have some 1,800 well-paid lobbyists in Washington, D.C. – including former leaders of the Republican and Democratic parties," she said in a statement to Newsweek. "Unbelievably, that is more than three lobbyists for every member of Congress. During that same period, they have provided over $700 million in campaign contributions. And they are equal opportunity contributors. They contribute heavily to both Republican and Democratic candidates." Secretary Kennedy—as well as Elon Musk, who previously served in Trump's administration—have expressed support for ending pharmaceutical advertising. "Let's get President Trump back in the White House and me to DC so we can ban pharmaceutical advertising," Kennedy wrote in a post to X (formerly Twitter) on November 3, 2024. During his own presidential campaign, Kennedy said he would have issued an executive order ending the advertisements on his first day in office. Newsweek reached out to DHS for comment via the department's press contact form. Caleb Alexander, professor of epidemiology at the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, told Newsweek that while a potential ban's impact on drug prices remains uunclear, there would be benefits to ending these advertisements. Pharmaceutical advertisements can drive up "inappropriate demand" for prescription drugs in settings where they may not be needed, he said. "In terms of the potential benefits of banning [direct-to-consumer advertisements], the most immediate and likely is that it would temper demand for products in settings where they may not be needed," Alexander said. The U.S. has "evolved to believe" the benefits of the ads, such as empowering patients to identify health concerns, outweigh the risks, though much of the research on the topic indicates that the benefits may not be worth the drawbacks, he said. What People Are Saying Alexander told Newsweek: "Direct to consumer advertising has been a lightning rod for controversy, and it remains a curious and unique feature of the U.S. marketplace. While a ban on direct advertising may be welcomed by many, it's not going to fundamentally transform the marketplace for prescription drugs in the United States, simply because DTCA is highly concentrated among a small number of products. It may be a reasonable political and public health target, but I think that if you just look at the way the dollars flow, there's vastly more money spent on marketing drugs to prescribers." Senator Angus King wrote in a statement: "The widespread use of direct-to-consumer advertising by pharmaceutical companies drives up costs and doesn't necessarily make patients healthier. The End Prescription Drug Ads Now Act would prohibit direct-to-consumer advertising of pharmaceutical drugs to protect people. This bill is a great step to ensure that patients are getting the best information possible and from the right source: their providers and not biased advertisements." Elon Musk wrote to X in November 2024: "No advertising for pharma." What Happens Next It's unclear whether a majority of senators are also in support of the bill. So far, Democratic Senators Chris Murphy of Connecticut, Peter Welch of Vermont, Jeff Merkley of Oregon and Dick Durbin of Illinois have co-sponsored the bill, according to Sanders' office.
