Call to Ban Drug Advertising Is a Dead End

For years, doctors have complained these kinds of ads targeted directly to consumers can sway patients to ask for unnecessary, and potentially harmful, prescription drugs. The American Medical Association, the nation's most influential physicians group, was long mum on the subject. But last month, the 168-year-old organization, which represents around 235,000 doctors, finally took a stand, calling for an outright ban on consumer ads for prescription drugs and medical devices.