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Copyright © 2019 Pearson Education, Inc.
Use the passage below to answer the following questions.
Prior to 1997, broadcast ads for prescription drugs could not mention both the ailment for which
the drug received FDA approval and the name of the drug in the same advertisement. That is,
only one or the other could be mentioned, which led to much confusion on the part of consumers.
In 1997, the FDA loosened its controls on pharmaceutical companies, and as a result, the amount
of prescription drug advertising on television skyrocketed. Now, both the ailment and the name
of the drug can be mentioned, but major side effects must also be mentioned and there must be
an indication where the consumer can get more information, such as from a magazine ad or a
website. Some have been quite critical of this direct-to-consumer prescription advertising,
claiming it has led to an increase in requests for costlier drugs when the less expensive generic
drugs would be just as effective.
88) One ad for a drug used to overcome male erectile dysfunction depicted an old man in a
nursing home acting like a young man chasing after several women at once. The ad was not
allowed to air on the major television networks of NBC, CBS, and ABC. The ad did not contain
any deceptive or unsubstantiated claims, so there was nothing untruthful in the ad. Furthermore,
the ad followed the guidelines given by the FDA regarding broadcast advertising by indicating
the major side effects and referring to a magazine ad for more information. Which of the
following best explains why the ad was not allowed to air?
A) Stereotypes of “dirty old men” are not allowed in any advertising.
B) The National Advertising Division determined the ad was distasteful and disallowed it from
being aired on television.
C) Not all advertising is given the same protection under the First Amendment of the
Constitution.
D) The media can reject ads that violate their standards of good taste.
E) The behavior portrayed by the old man did not reflect the real behavior of the individual
involved.
89) Pfizer is a large pharmaceutical company that has dramatically increased its direct-to–
consumer television advertising of prescription drugs. However, Pfizer has stringent in-house ad
review procedures, including reviews by agency and client attorneys. Pfizer is concerned that
any claim made in an ad is verifiable and that the ad is executed in good taste. What type of
advertising self-regulation does this illustrate?
A) industry self-regulation
B) self-discipline
C) self-regulation by community groups
D) mandatory self-regulation
E) voluntary self-regulation