AUSTIN (KFDX/KJTL) — Have you ever counted the amount of pharmaceutical ads you see in a day?
Currently, the United States and New Zealand are the only two countries in the world that allow such advertisements. But could advertisements soon be pulled from Texas TVs?
House District 69 Representative James Frank has filed legislation prohibiting direct-to-consumer pharmaceutical advertising.
House Bill 4586 would no longer allow consumers to see those advertisements on TV and social media.
“This practice leads to increased healthcare costs and improper medication use,” Frank said in an email to constituents.
An administrative penalty would be enforced against a person or entity of up to $10,000 a day for each violation.
Frank filed the legislation on March 12, 2025. According to the Capitol website, the bill has not been referred to a committee.
Read the full text of the bill:
