Broadcasters Praise Ban-Less FDA Bill

Food and Drug Administration's Oversight of Prescription-Drug Advertising Increased

By John Eggerton -- Broadcasting & Cable, 9/21/2007 5:54:00 PM

A bill passed both houses of Congress that increases the Food and Drug Administration's oversight of prescription-drug advertising, but minus a restriction on ads that broadcasters opposed and advertisers had worked hard to deep-six.

As originally proposed, the bill would have set a three-year moratorium on advertising for new prescription drugs. Advertisers had argued that this could deny important information to patients.

The National Association of Broadcasters praised the passage of the ban-less bill.

"NAB applauds Congress for adopting legislation that does not sever an important information link for American consumers," NAB spokesman Dennis Wharton said. "Each year, thousands of Americans seek treatment for heart disease, high blood pressure and other diseases through education that comes in part from prescription drug advertising. There is simply no legitimate reason to deny American citizens this potentially life-saving information."