IF IT'S GOOD FOR THE AMERICANS. . .?? Le Monde informs its readers of recent efforts by pharmaceutical companies to fund short programs that will air on French television this weekend. Why is this interesting? Since 1989, European law prohibits pharmaceuticals from advertising prescription drugs. According to the article, proposals to alow advertising for AIDS, asthma and diabetes drugs have been weighed in the European parliament but ultimately rejected.

"A Heart That Beats" will air on France 2 and its affiliates on Saturday and Sunday after the evening news, and during the week at mid-day. The shows will use interviews with and testimonials of patients, doctors and nurses to extoll recent progress in medicine. The sponsorship of the ads will be clear (the article notes that the point of the shows is to allow the industry to have its logo associated with a "positive message"). Industry officials deny that they are trying to circumvent the regulations or to change prevailing european practices.

The pharmaceutical industry has invested 3.1 million euros in the project. (Click here for a currency converter) This amount is, quite simply, small potatoes compared to $2.1 billion that pharmas spent on advertising in the U.S. in 2000. Concerns over the intrusion of ads into the doctor-patient relationship, and over the added cost to consumers, have been voiced loudly since the FDA changed its policies and allowed the ads on radio and television.

Given all the reasons to be against prescription drug ads, I would hope that the French don't go down this slippery slope.