Once again, a congressional lawmaker is introducing legislation that would end the tax break that drug makers can take for advertising medicines to consumers.
Called the End Taxpayer Subsidies for Drug Ads Act, the bill reflects concerns that drug makers are spending too much to market high-priced medicines at a time of growing anger over the cost of prescription drugs, according to U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill (D- Mo.), who introduced the bill. She noted that only the U.S. and New Zealand allow consumer advertising of pharmaceuticals.
“Drug companies have too much influence in Washington,” McCaskill said. “So it figures we are one of the only nations in the world that allows both advertising of prescription drugs to consumers and allows those ads to be subsidized by taxpayers. I’m determined to fight these high drug prices and a good first step would be to stop subsidizing their ads for drugs that must be prescribed by a doctor. Too many drug companies are spending more on sales and marketing than on research and development.”
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