Why are drug companies allowed to advertise their prescription drugs on television? Since they require a prescription, shouldn’t their advertisement be directed to physicians who could prescribe them? If they direct advertisement to prospective patients, why do we have doctors prescribe the medications? Is what we have now is the drug companies advertising directly to the public so that they will pressure the patient’s doctor to prescribe medication the doctor would not consider prescribing otherwise? WOULDN’T THOSE ADVERTISING DOLLARS BE BETTER SPENY ON R&D?