Editor's Corner

The time has come for the pharmaceutical industry to call a tactical retreat. There is a growing, bipartisan feeling in Congress that drug ads are responsible for much of the inflated pharmaceutical bill that is being paid in this country. As Bill Frist makes clear in an item below, lawmakers may seek and obtain a significant moratorium on new drug ads. This is the time for PhRMA chief Billy Tauzin to earn his salary as the nation's chief drug lobbyist. He will need to make some wise concessions on advertising to prevent an all-out ban. The industry needs to show more responsibility in what it promotes and how it pushes its newest, most expensive medications. Efficacy and economy need to be the watchwords here. A step back here might help prevent an all-out PhRMA rout, which is beginning to appear increasingly likely.

Note: FierceBiotech will not publish Monday, July 4, because of the Independence Day holiday here in the US. We'll return Tuesday, July 5. Have a great holiday weekend!  - John Carroll