WASHINGTON, April 19 U.S. lawmakers are debating legislation that would force the drug industry to delay advertising for two years for newly approved prescription drugs.The legislation is intended to give doctors time to review new drugs' safety and effectiveness before consumers see ads and demand them, The Chicago Tribune reports.Drug companies claim such legislation would limit their First Amendment free-speech rights.Advertising spending, particularly TV ad spending, has surged five-fold to more than $5 billion a year in the nine years since the U.S. Food and Drug Administration eased drug-ad restrictions, the Tribune said.Lawmakers are considering bills to expand FDA powers to require drug makers to wait two years before advertising newly approved drugs.A Senate committee that oversees the FDA voted 15-5 in favor of the legislation Wednesday. Similar legislation is being discussed in the House of Representatives.Copyright 2007 by UPI
