Should Prescription Drug Ads Be Banned Essay

Everyday, thousands of people watch TV in their own house, workplace, or anywhere they go. On most channels, they include prescription drug commercials that people also watch along with their favored shows. However, watching drug ads may have a negative effect on people. Prescription drug ads should be banned because they may misinform patients and cause them harm, it may (most likely) persuade patients to be overdosed since the ad may look so appealing, and drug ads may weaken the relationship between a doctor and patient by mistrusting a doctor’s advice if the doctor suggests an alternate solution. Prescription drug ads may misinform viewers/patients by stating wrong facts about the drug. According to prescriptiondrugs.procon.org, drug advertisements may overemphasize the …show more content…
According to prescriptiondrugs.procon.org, “patients who are convinced that an advertised drug will solve their problems often mistrust a healthcare professional’s advice if they suggest an alternative solution.” From this evidence, prescription drug ads may weaken the relationship between a doctor and patient by making a patient doubt a physician’s advice if they recommend a different product. As a result, this may cause a patient to impose harm on themselves by experiencing serious side effects if the patient is taking the wrong drug. However, studies argue “prescription drug ads encourage people to seek medical advice from health professionals” (prescriptiondrugs.procon.org). This shows that patients talked to their doctors about their medical condition after seeing prescription drug ads. Consequently, patients are more informed of their medical condition and/or treatment which can result in improved health. In conclusion, prescription drug ads may weaken the relationship between a patient and healthcare professional while it can also encourage some people to seek medical advice from