The American Medical Association (AMA) would seek a ban on prescription drug ads on television and in newspapers and magazines under a proposal now under consideration. Many doctors say the ban is needed to keep patients from being misinformed. The ads can undermine doctors' credibility, especially if a physician thinks an advertised drug isn't the best choice for a patient who demands it, said Dr. Angelo Agro of the AMA's New Jersey delegation, which drafted the proposal.

The proposed resolution asks the AMA to petition the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ban "direct to consumer" prescription drug ads. This is one of several resolutions at the AMA's annual meeting in Chicago seeking to curb what many doctors think is interference from the pharmaceutical industry in the doctor-patient relationship. Another proposal asks the AMA to lobby for requiring the ads to tell patients that their doctors may recommend other, more appropriate treatment options. However, Dr. Jeffrey Shuren, the FDA's medical officer, told the committee overseeing the proposals that the FDA does not have the authority to implement a ban since the ads are allowed by law.

The committee will review the resolutions before deciding whether to send them on to the AMA's policy-making House of Delegates, which starts voting Tuesday on the more than 250 reports and resolutions presented during the five-day meeting.

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