Pharma’s (incremental) victory over trial lawyers

You know those ubiquitous TV ads, the ones asking whether you or a loved one was harmed by some drug or medical device? The drug industry hates them, arguing that they spread unnecessary fear and encourage frivolous lawsuits.

Now, as STAT’s Ed Silverman reports, a new law in Tennessee, designed to rein in just what those ads can say, marks the first of its kind. The law doesn’t ban such ads, but it does mandate that they make clear who’s paying for them and that they’re not medical alerts.

It’s a minor coup for the drug industry, which has unsuccessfully lobbied for similar bills in the past. There’s no telling whether the idea will catch on, but it gives the likes of PhRMA a legislative foothold.

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