Physicians Want Moratorium on DTC

Via mmm-online.com:

The American College of Physicians (ACP) called for the FDA to be empowered to label newer drugs as such and to restrict consumer advertising of them.

In a policy paper titled Improving FDA Regulation of Prescription Drugs, the group, which claims a membership of 129,000 internal medicine physicians, related sub-specialists and medical students, said the agency needs more funding and greater powers. Among them, ACP argues that FDA should be authorized to require that new drugs carry labeling indicating their new-to-market status and that DTC advertising be restricted for the first two years a drug is on the market.

Right. This makes you have to wonder the motivation of such an action. Two years is a long time to not be able to advertise considering the considerable costs of developing and bringing a new drug to market. It reminds of that saying, "stick your head in the sand and get kicked in the butt."

A moratorium on DTC just limits the information a consumer can get and really smacks of knowledge hierarchy that is anti-Health 2.0 and is very dated.

If you've read this blog in the past you will know that I am all for consumer empowerment and Health 2.0. I am also all for informed decision making, free will and the doctor as a consultant rather an gatekeeper. None that says moratorium to me.

image via biojobbank.com

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