If You Watch Sports (Or the Oscars), You’ve Seen A LOT Of Rx Ads

Most consumers say they’re no fans of the pharmaceutical industry’s commercial advertising. You know, those drug ads with bright colors and happy people and all the disclaimers?

Well…It may not matter what we think.

Big Pharma kicked off 2025 with a big increase in spending for TV commercials. Fierce Pharma reports that pharmaceutical companies put 30% more of their money behind TV commercials in the first quarter than in the same period last year.

In fact, drugmakers spent a combined $729.4 million to air commercials advertising their top 10 brands.

If you’re a sports fan, you couldn’t miss them. Six of the top 10 drugs advertised on NFL programming and another two favored men’s college basketball. This year’s Academy Awards ceremony also included ads for Rexulti, a drug used to treat depression. Where do you fall on Rx advertising? Is there any benefit? Or would you rather see that money put to better use? Share your thoughts with Voices for Affordable Health.