Supreme Court Rules that Laws Limiting Marketing Efforts of Drug Manufacturers Are a Violation of Free Speech

On Thursday, the United States Supreme Court struck down a Vermont law that blocked drug manufacturers’ use of prescription drug information in marketing campaigns designed to sell new drugs to physicians.  Although the law was designed to hold down health care costs and shield physicians from harassing marketing campaigns by preventing manufacturers from using prescription drug information to craft marketing campaigns, the Court found that the law hampered pharmaceutical companies from promoting opposing viewpoints concerning the drugs.  The Court struck down the law as restricting only pharmaceutical companies, while  no one else’s use of the information was similarly restricted.

For more information see:  http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Justice/2011/0623/Supreme-Court-strikes-down-law-restricting-sale-of-prescription-drug-info.