Interests collide in pharmaceutical ads

Re “Drug Makers Set Voluntary Curbs on TV, Other Ads,” Aug. 3

The Food and Drug Administration should simply reverse the rule changes it made in 1997 that opened up the floodgates for this kind of drug promotion. Could it be that the pharmaceutical industry is too powerful a force to reckon with?

And we are supposed to believe that this industry, which is dependent on drug sales for its livelihood, can make “sure doctors are fully informed about a new drug’s risks”?

CHUCK PETITHOMME

Burbank

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As long as the retirement exit portal for policymakers at the Food and Drug Administration continues to lead to upper-management jobs at drug companies, the FDA’s announcement of a lack of a timetable to review drug company advertising and its effects on us comes as no surprise.

As with other notable pro-drug-manufacturer FDA decisions, like labeling marijuana a controllable Class 1 narcotic, these privileged untouchables are too busy with corporate profits and personal agendas to admit they are employed at public expense to serve us all.

JACK BORNOFF

Studio City