Impotence Drugs Adverts Under Fire Again

One of the most controversial advertisements was the ‘Viva Viagra’ campaign

Following thousands of complaints, the pharmaceutical industry in America said that they will be enforcing the regulations with regard to the advertising of prescription drugs. The Pharmaceutical Research & Manufacturers of America has been attacked for aggressively marketing for example erectile dysfunction medications on TV which many families say are unsuitable to be seen by children, and should at least only be shown at certain times when children will not be watching television.

This is not the first time that viewers have said that the advertisements for Pfizer’s Viagra, Eli Lilly’s Cialis and Bayer’s Levitra should not be shown at all times and should be limited to late night viewing. Parents have complained that when these advertisements come on they are often presented with a whole range of questions from inquisitive children that they feel they should not have to be faced with.

Unlike the United Kingdom where advertisements for prescription medications are banned by law, in the United States the pharmaceutical industry funds millions of dollars of advertising every year and is thought to be one of the best clients of advertising agencies. The pharmaceutical industry argues that by advertising erectile dysfunction medications and showing how effective they can be in restoring relationships between men and women they are not only providing medical care but also doing a social good.

One of the most controversial advertisements was the ‘Viva Viagra’ campaign launched by Pfizer using the music ‘Viva Las Vegas’ by Elvis Presley. Another advertising campaign which drew the ire of family groups was Eli Lilly’s Cialis ad showing a middle aged couple lying in baths looking at the sunset.

Part of the problem is that many of the rules concerning the advertising of prescription drugs in America are not actually enforceable by the Food & Drug Administration and are purely voluntary. This means that there is always the temptation for the drug companies to push the boundaries of decency and then announce after the advertisement has gone out that they will be reviewing the rules and examining the code of ethics again.