Lack of sympathy greets drug advertising debate

From the Toronto Star:
To say that prescription drugs are not like other products – and so should not be marketed like they are – is just plain patronizing, a public debate on whether to loosen Canada's advertising restrictions on medication heard yesterday.

"No one makes better decisions about what's best for you than you," said Ruth Corbin, who runs a research company specializing in intellectual property, such as drugs.

Speaking to a largely unsympathetic crowd at Ryerson University, Corbin said patients need advertising to help them discuss treatment options with their doctors. ...more