"Only two countries permit DTC drug ads — the U.S. and New Zealand. Every other nation has concluded that its unwise and irresponsible to pitch potentially dangerous meds to people lacking the medical training to make smart decisions. Better to have patients discuss such things directly with their physicians."
However the last line brings up what is also a deeper issue in the current US healthcare system, all levels of health providers have this incredible pressure to spend less time with patients and this has been escalating for decades. The current profit-focused system (and this applies to most not-for-profit health systems as well because most are still driven by profit) makes it very difficult to spend appropriate time educating especially when that medication may very well not be appropriate.
The recent 'patient is always right' push by health systems, driven by Medicare reimbursement rates, also puts additional pressure on MD's to prescribe even when not appropriate for that patient. Advertising drugs on TV exacerbate this as well.
LA Times Source: https://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-lazarus-drugadvertisi...