A bill from an independent · See all 6 cosponsors
Last activity — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- 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
- Scored +5
Does this give people more protection from unfair business practices?
The ban on direct-to-consumer advertising may protect consumers from aggressive marketing tactics.
- Scored +5
Does this give the federal government more power?
The bill expands federal regulatory authority over pharmaceutical marketing.
- Scored +3
Does this lower the price of prescription medicines?
Reducing advertising expenditures could potentially lead to lower drug prices over time.
The opposite
- Scored -5
Would business owners be better off under this?
Pharmaceutical business owners will lose a major marketing channel.
- Scored -3
Does this protect what people are allowed to say in public life?
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. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Economy And Finance
- Does this give people more protection from unfair business practices? — The ban on direct-to-consumer advertising may protect consumers from aggressive marketing tactics.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this give the federal government more power? — The bill expands federal regulatory authority over pharmaceutical marketing.
- Healthcare
- Does this lower the price of prescription medicines? — Reducing advertising expenditures could potentially lead to lower drug prices over time.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this protect what people are allowed to say in public life? — The bill restricts the ability of manufacturers to engage in promotional speech to the public.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — Reducing drug advertising costs could indirectly benefit low-income households through lower prices. Would middle-income households be better off under this? — Reducing drug advertising costs could indirectly benefit middle-class households through lower prices. Would business owners be better off under this? — Pharmaceutical business owners will lose a major marketing channel.
- 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