Truth in Advertising: Is There Such a Thing?

I thought there were laws against advertisers making false and misleading claims when attempting to promote their products or services through the media! I thought they were supposed to tell the truth!

Looking at some of the many ads filling up television, radio, internet, newspapers, magazines and other advertising methods, it really does seem like nobody is paying too much attention, because I sure see and hear a lot of hyped up commercials that make outrageous claims that we all know are not the truth! Is there nobody to hold these advertisers 'accountable' to prove their claims? Are the claims made based on any evidence? Are they true? Or, are they no more than superficial, smoke-and-mirrors, anything-goes selling tactics?

Many TV and radio advertisers want to push their products during prime time hours, to reach as many ('targeted') viewers or listeners as they can. Unfortunately, it also seems nobody is really paying much attention to what kind of advertising is allowed during the times when children of all ages might be watching or listening. Some of the products "pushed" during prime-time are really not appropriate for younger viewers...yet they are still allowed.

For example, the pharmaceutical companies have pretty much cornered the supper hour on many TV channels. They push everything from stomach and digestive medications to 'male-enhancement' prescriptions. It is as though we (adults) have all become so accustomed to these ads that we hardly notice the messages our children might be taking from them.

Where is the moral or ethical responsibility in these examples of what advertisers are currently practicing?
-Is it appropriate for prime-time advertising to promote prescription medications that promise "increased pleasure" from 'male-enhancement' drugs?
-Is it appropriate for advertisers to promote digestive medications which "let you eat anything you want"...as long as you take their (daily!) prescriptions medications?
-Is it appropriate for prime-time advertising to promote ANY drugs? Aren't we trying to tell our children to "just say no" to drugs? Are "prescription drugs" really all that much safer (we know they are not!)?
-Shouldn't medications be an issue between doctors and patients, rather than these seductive "come-ons" to get hooked?
-Is it appropriate for advertisers to tell blatant lies regarding their products' or services' benefits, then to rattle off a bunch of indecipherable and incomprehensible side-effect warnings that nobody could possibly follow or understand?

"Ask your doctor about XYZ..." has become the escape-phrase many of these companies use to "push" their drugs..and it is all about making profits...not about making people healthier.

I often wonder how or why our lawmakers ever agreed to legalize the pharmaceutical ads in the first place! I am quite sure I know why, although I would rather not believe it.
It once was illegal...and for very good reason! Only since the early 1990's has it been legal to advertise prescription medication on TV, and look how far afield it has gone from the earlier days, when they used to "subtly" introduce new medicines, rather than the blatant "in-your-face", "everyone needs this" style they use today. In addition, the United States is one of the very few (if not the ONLY) countries that still even ALLOW such advertising...other 'civilized' countries learned long ago that such a practice is not ethically or morally beneficial, thus they have outlawed it.

I, for one, am getting very tired with some of the advertising we are delivered, especially when I know the TRUTH is not being delivered in far too many instances.

I would like to once again raise the call for more truth, honesty, sincerity and integrity in advertising, and I encourage readers to communicate with their political leaders to bring their attention to the lack of truth we are experiencing today.

Let's put the TRUTH back into "TRUTH IN ADVERTISING"!