Stop Tax Deductions for Drug Commercials

Congress should amend the federal tax code to bar pharmaceutical companies from deducting the cost of the ads as a business expense. Drug advertisements are some of the most indecent intrusions into American living rooms via TV. A new study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine found that direct-to-consumer drug advertising may be associated with increased drug prices -- and little else. This petition would not bar drug companies from advertising such products as male performance enhancing drugs or urinary catheters on TV. It would only disallow deducting the $5 Billions+ per year from their business taxes. They could exercise their right to free speech, but would have to pay for it without the tax subsidy from taxpayers.