Bill · S. 2068· Senate(119-S-2068)
End Prescription Drug Ads Now Act
- Introduced
- 6/12/2025
- Last activity
- 6/12/2025 — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
- Sponsored by
- Bernie Sanders
- Cosponsors
- - 1 - 5
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The "End Prescription Drug Ads Now Act" aims to prohibit drug manufacturers from using direct-to-consumer advertising to promote their products. This ban includes various promotional communications such as television, radio, print media, digital platforms, and social media. The bill seeks to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to achieve this goal. The restrictions apply to drugs approved under section 505 or licensed under section 351 of the Public Health Service Act. Once passed, the new rules would take effect 30 days after the date of enactment.
Yes· 3 of 5
Does this give people more protection from unfair business practices?+5
The ban on direct-to-consumer advertising may protect consumers from aggressive marketing tactics.
Does this give the federal government more power?+5
The bill expands federal regulatory authority over pharmaceutical marketing.
Does this lower the price of prescription medicines?+3
Reducing advertising expenditures could potentially lead to lower drug prices over time.
The opposite
Would business owners be better off under this?-5
Pharmaceutical business owners will lose a major marketing channel.
Does this protect what people are allowed to say in public life?-3
The bill restricts the ability of manufacturers to engage in promotional speech to the public.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
- Restriction of Promotional Communications: The bill targets any promotional communication intended to market drugs directly to consumers through platforms like television, radio, print, digital platforms, and social media (Section 2(a)(2)). This could impact how consumers are marketed to regarding their medications.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- No specific negative impacts are detailed in the provided text.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Economy And Finance
- Improves Consumer Protection+5
- Governance And Ideology
- Increases Federal Power+5
- Healthcare
- Reduces Prescription Drug Costs+3
- Social Issues And Justice
- Improves Freedom Of Speech-3
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For Low Income Households+2Good For Middle Class Households+2Good For Business Owners-5
- 6/17/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 6/12/2025
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
- 5 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in Senate
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Richard DurbinDemocrat · Illinois
Tammy DuckworthDemocrat · Illinois
Angus KingIndependent · Maine
Christopher MurphyDemocrat · Connecticut
Jeff MerkleyDemocrat · Oregon
Peter WelchDemocrat · Vermont