I don’t know anyone who’s completely happy with the proliferation of television ads for all manner of new drugs. I suspect we’d all be happy never to see “Bob, the Enzyte guy” again. But the general distaste over drug ads notwithstanding, Henry Waxman’s cure seems likely to be worse than the disease:
The Democrats always pitch themselves as the defender of the little guy, but here’s another example of where they believe that that selfsame little guy can’t be trusted to make decisions for himself. Apparently patients are learning about too many new drugs, and the only way to handle the problem is to allow the FDA to stifle free speech. Is it really so terrible that patients learn about drugs, and then might ask their physicians to prescribe them? It would seem to encourage more informed patients and physicians. It might even give some patients access to new treatments that could greatly reduce their suffering. Isn’t that worth some annoying television commercials?
