Drug Advertising: Excessive or Not?

Selling sickness on TV is a multi-billion dollar business. In 2007, drug makers spent five billion dollars on ads, half of which was spent on television commercials. And if you’ve watched television for any length of time, odds have it you’ve seen the result of those dollars spent. But have they gone too far? Are we being bombarded by too many drug adds? And how is it changing the state of healthcare. We’ll have two opposing views on the topic. Then – Wine Expert Larry Ellis joins Dave for an in-studio wine tasting, and will also educate you on how to make the most of your money with some tips on great wines under twenty bucks.

Episode Segments:

Drug Advertising: The Pro Argument Jim Davidson is director of the Advertising Coalition, which lobbies for media and drug companies in Washington. Mr. Davidson feels that FDA regulation of drug advertising would be a violation of the First Amendment, as long as the drug ads are being truthful, and that there are many positive aspects to drug advertising.
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Drug Advertising: The Anti-Argument Dave welcomes Dr. Jerome Hoffman, Professor of Medicine & Emergency Medicine at the UCLA School of Medicine in Los Angeles. Dr. Hoffman contends that drug advertising has nothing to do with health; its all about selling product, and has contributed to the growth of imagined diseases.
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The Future of Drug Advertising Dr. Hoffman believes a change in the White House may also bring about a change in the way drugs are advertised. He also thinks that FDA oversight is needed, but they lack the resources to do the job.
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Sonoma and Napa Wines Wine expert Larry Ellis gives some background on what makes the Sonoma and Napa county wines so special, and joins Dave for a taste of some reds from the region. Plus he dispels the myth of more expensive means more pleasure and explains what dry red really means.
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Cork or Cap? Does it matter if your wine has a cork or screw-top? Larry Ellis gives his take. Plus Larry explains cork taint and gives a suggestion for the best wines to pair with pizza.
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Great Wine Values Larry discusses some of the up-and-coming wine areas across the US, and some international locations that are producing good inexpensive wines. Dave also samples some whites from the 1975 vineyards, and Larry says we should watch for the return of Zinfandel.
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Guest(s) Appearing on this Episode

James H. Davidson For nearly two decades, Jim Davidson has helped companies and business associations define and achieve their goals in the legislative and regulatory arenas of the federal government. Prior to founding Davidson & Company, Mr. Davidson’s service on Capitol Hill included Chief Counsel and Staff Director for the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Administrative Practice and Procedure and Chief Counsel of the Governmental Affairs Subcommittee on Intergovernmental Relations. Among his legislative achievements he was the principal staff author of the federal Privacy Act. He was Special Assistant and Press Secretary to Missouri Senator Stuart Symington, Administrative Assistant and Acting Deputy to Missouri Secretary of State James C. Kirkpatrick. Mr. Davidson is a graduate of the University of Missouri Schools of Journalism and Law, and served as an adjunct Professor of Law at the American University School of Law. He is a member of the District of Columbia Bar, the Missouri Bar Association, and the American Bar Association. He was a Fellow of the American Council on Germany and was a Conferee at the Chief Justice Earl Warren Conference on Advocacy at the University of Virginia. Davidson & Co. Website

Dr. Jerome Hoffman Dr. Hoffman is Professor of Medicine and Emergency Medicine at UCLA, where he teaches students, residents, and fellows (both in Emergency Medicine, and in the Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholars Program). He previously directed UCLA’s Emergency Medicine Residency, and later the School of Medicine’s award-winning Doctoring Program. He has also served as Associate Editor of the Western Journal of Medicine, and was a Consultant Toxicologist for the Los Angeles Regional Poison Control Centre for more than a decade. He has authored well over 150 scientific articles and book chapters and has won numerous teaching awards. He has done brief stints as a Visiting Professor at literally scores of Medical Schools and Residency Training Programs in the US, Canada, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Australia, and has been the Keynote Speaker for national and international meetings in Emergency Medicine around the world. Learn More About Dr. Hoffman