alt Hacker News>> The US is the only country, aside from New Zealand
And canada. I have seen many commercials on hotel televisions for prescription drugs there.
Replies
Canada's laws around this are...odd.
The law prohibits ads from simultaneously naming a prescription drug and its therapeutic use. So you might see an ad pushing a specific drug, but it will never say what it's used for. Or you might see an ad where people talk about treatments for a condition but never mention the drug, just saying talk to your doctor.
Sometimes they get around this subtly. In one ad a number of overweight actors discuss how much they love a specific drug, but it's never mentioned what it's for but is implied.
And of course when US channels are simulcast in Canada, US ads just run as is.
In the UK there's a lot of TV advertising for "weight loss medication" that never refers to any drug by name. But if you look at the small print, it refers to "Orlistat", which is technically available without a prescription. Of course, nobody (or few) actually want Orlistat or end up being prescribed it after the consultation.