End Prescription Drug Ads Now Act Targets Consumer Marketing

Efforts to restrict direct-to-consumer advertising of prescription drugs have gained renewed attention in the United States, as lawmakers propose new legislation to address ongoing debate over pharmaceutical marketing practices.

On June 12, 2025, a group of U.S. Senators introduced the End Prescription Drug Ads Now Act (S.2068) in the Senate. The bill was introduced by Senators Bernie Sanders, Angus King, Chris Murphy, Peter Welch, Jeff Merkley, and Dick Durbin, and aims to prohibit drug manufacturers from promoting prescription medications directly to consumers through various media channels.

The proposed legislation calls for amendments to the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. According to the bill text, the changes would prevent pharmaceutical companies from advertising any drug approved under section 505 or licensed under section 351 of the Public Health Service Act to the general public, including on social media platforms.

Direct-to-consumer advertising involves marketing prescription drugs directly to individuals via television, magazines, online platforms, and other mass media. The United States and New Zealand are currently the only countries that fully permit this type of pharmaceutical advertising.

What the numbers show

• The End Prescription Drug Ads Now Act was introduced on June 12, 2025
• Novo Nordisk spent nearly $370 million on Ozempic advertising in 2022 and 2023
• Only two countries, the US and New Zealand, fully allow direct-to-consumer prescription drug ads

Pharmaceutical advertising in the United States has resulted in substantial spending by drug manufacturers. For example, Novo Nordisk allocated nearly $370 million to promote Ozempic over a two-year period covering 2022 and 2023.

Politicians from different political backgrounds have put forward proposals to ban direct-to-consumer drug advertising after many years of discussion. These policy initiatives reflect a broad engagement with the topic across the political spectrum.

Some experts have stated that older adults are frequently targeted by pharmaceutical advertising campaigns. This observation highlights one aspect of the ongoing debate about the reach and impact of direct-to-consumer marketing in the healthcare sector.

The introduction of the End Prescription Drug Ads Now Act marks another step in the legislative process addressing pharmaceutical advertising in the United States. The bill’s progress and any resulting changes to advertising practices will depend on further action by lawmakers and regulatory bodies.

* This article is based on publicly available information at the time of writing.