68 Comments
User's avatar
Yuri Bezmenov's avatar

Finally! CNN and MSNBC will go bankrupt when they lose their big pharma sponsors. Americans’ mental health will improve as well.

Tardigrade's avatar

But it doesn't sound like they're banning the ads, just restoring the requirement that they disclose side effects.

I suppose this is the incrementalism that we're seeing. If they banned them altogether too suddenly, the entire corporate media system would probably collapse overnight.

Tardigrade's avatar

I'm with the camp that believes the ads are not there to sell the drugs. It's mostly so pharma can control the media.

Any drug sales that result from the ads are just icing on the cake.

Suzy Cue's avatar

Collapse overnight…that’s not a bad thing.

Handsome Pristine Patriot's avatar

The problem is that we can't instill the critical thinking in the target audience required to ignore these stupid ads.

Annie's avatar

Hallelujah! No more stupid insipid overweight actors dancing in these stupid ads. Yayyy 😄 Drain the revenue stream. Now networks and news shows will have to actually provide programs that people want.

Truth Seeker's avatar

The fake news echo chamber is already circling the bowl of BK.

If we were to assess culpability ? The fake news, Big P, The Medical Cartel, or people?

All four? Any ideas for % culpability??

John Whisenhunt's avatar

Thank You

President Trump

and RFK jr.

VictorDianne Watson's avatar

Unfortunately, this does not solve the problem. Pharmaceutical ads need to be removed from TV stations , not only because they increase the use in consumers, but it prevents TV news stations from reporting discrediting news about the drugs. This is somewhat of a disappointment for me.

Susie's avatar

Yes,I agree! Why can't they be banned?

Tardigrade's avatar

I'm guessing that they don't want the corporate media industry to collapse overnight. Hopefully the media companies will see the writing on the wall and start finding other advertisers.

Dr Dennis Kinnane OMD LAc RPh's avatar

IT WAS THE F$CKING MEDIA WHO PROMOTED THE WORST LIES AND MISINFORMATION DURING THE COVID CATASTROPHE! DESTROY THE BASTARDS!!

Suzy Cue's avatar

Why be concerned about the corporate media industry collapsing overnight? I consider that to be a good thing. All Rx ads must be banned - TV, internet, print media, radio. This is a Nothingburger.

Tardigrade's avatar

I didn't say *I* was concerned about it collapsing.

Suzy Cue's avatar

I know you didn’t. You said ‘they’. Who are ‘they’?

Tardigrade's avatar

The Trump administration, mostly, since that's who issued this EO.

Truth Seeker's avatar

Are you giving a pass to people for having personal responsibility?

Legislating behaviour or legislating Big P...

The way forward is teaching and learning about health.

VictorDianne Watson's avatar

You raise a good point, Truth Seeker. In other words, should we ban processed food and soda ads, restaurants that serve unhealthy meals or violent video games. At some point the consumer must become discerning enough to make the right choices for themselves and their family. That means education. I think that is the problem Kennedy has. He can’t take vaccines away but can educate people about the potential harms. Dr Lapado’s move to stop all vaccine mandates in FL is a good step. The responsibility lies with the people to determine if vaccines are necessary for their family or not. I still hate the drugs ads and mute the TV when they come on. But then, I mute all ads. 😊

Truth Seeker's avatar

Have spent decades and countless hours trying to unpack the issue of false beliefs. Have not had a TV except as a huge monitor for a very long time.

No issue staying informed. Might argue better informed.

Knowledge cannot be bypassed on the way to Wisdom. Discernment the governor. Despising and muting is an option though it takes some effort.

Learning about health a life long mission with no upper limit.

carolyn kostopoulos's avatar

it's not bullshit. here's what you've missed- Pharma got a carve out years ago so they do not have to list EVERY possible side effect because doing so would make commercials too long and too $$$. if they have to list EVERY side effect, they will automatically buy less air time for less commercials.

ok, I understand wanting to take them all off cold turkey and I know that this is an executive order and not a law- I sure wish congress would get around to making some things law in case they don't sweep the midterms- but it is a good first step to disincentivize the continuous commercials and the capture of news programs

Suzy Cue's avatar

They’ll just barely tweak the ads. Won’t make any difference.

Kevin Lee's avatar

A good starting point

Jane Stillwater's avatar

I hate Big Pharma ads. They are so depressing -- as well as misleading. Yuck!

Annie's avatar

So stupid these ads. I can't stand them either.

Penny AKA AnnaMary's avatar

Stop allowing them to advertise on TV, radio, social media like was done to tobacco and alcohol. Don’t just make them cost more because that will just be passed on to the consumers to pay. Drugs are way too costly already. Drug ads, especially for ones a doctor has to order, should not be advertised at all!!!

Sue Stantejsky's avatar

WONDERFUL - HOORAY!!!

Thank you!

FarmGirl's avatar

You guys are doing a fantastic job. Mainstream media will never report it, but the public is ecstatic.

First Amendment's avatar

Yes! Great news! RFK Jr. had said ads can not be misleading so they had to prove this. I thought they would have to examine all the data for every drug advertised. They may still have to in order to ban them but this is a great start.

Annie's avatar

Another thing this does is reduce the revenue streams propping up less viewed programs and networks.

Angie Brummett's avatar

Just like the horrible cigarette ads, those drug ads need to go. They lie about the value of their crap. Their side effect harms are not talked about nor the pre-existing conditions not conducive to taking their drug.

Susan Sunlightrising's avatar

RFK Jr. worked around his concern that the ads can be considered free speech. Mandating disclosure of side effects continues free speech but mandates truth in disclosure in this way. When the list of side effects is printed or read super fast, Big Pharma no longer can say safe and effective because the side effects indicate exactly how it is not safe. This does weaken Big Pharma's abililty to lie and mislead. It's a step in the right direction, but the USA will still be the only nation in the world where Big Pharma can market its drugs directly to the patients. It will not change the relationship between Big News and Big Pharma, and that remains the issue where the truth will continue to be hidden from the public, except for the lists of side effects now attached to the prescription drugs Big Pharma hawks to the public. So Big News will continue to attack RFK Jr from my vantage point as this change did not free Big News of Big Pharma money.

Tardigrade's avatar

I think New Zealand is the only other country that allows direct-to-consumer pharma ads.

Suzy Cue's avatar

That is correct.

Loafergirl's avatar

Our country has FCC laws that no other country has. FCC governs “broadcast airwaves” not cable, not social media, not print; airwaves are TV & Radio only. This rollback could be financially devastating to big pharma. We will see a shift to more pharmaceutical ads on cable, social media and longer ads as well.

Steve's avatar

This is why the Dems and some Republicans as well, fear and hate RFK jr. They know that actual transparency will be highly detrimental to the spectacular amount of money they get from Big Pharma. Bobby is an American hero!

Trish's avatar

EXCELLENT!!! Thank you!!!

Gery's avatar

They pay off the media through these drug ads in exchange for running Israel friendly news.

Tardigrade's avatar

First paragraph, that should be "rein in".