No Handouts for Drug Advertisements Act

Senate Bill

S. 1785

119th Congress

No Handouts for Drug Advertisements Act

In Committee

Introduced:May 15, 2025

Primary Sponsor

Josh Hawley

Senator

Republican

MO

Cosponsors

10

Quick Stats

Policy Area

Health

Summary

This bill prohibits pharmaceutical companies from deducting advertising expenses for prescription drugs from their federal taxes. By eliminating this tax benefit for direct-to-consumer drug advertising, the legislation aims to reduce pharmaceutical marketing costs that ultimately get passed on to consumers and taxpayers.

Latest Action

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

SponsorJosh Hawley (R-MO)

Introduced5/15/2025

StatusRead twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

ChamberSenate

Data from Congress.gov

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Vote Prediction

No Handouts for Drug Advertisements Act

This bill prohibits pharmaceutical companies from deducting advertising expenses for prescription drugs from their federal taxes. By eliminating this tax benefit for direct-to-consumer drug advertising, the legislation aims to reduce pharmaceutical marketing c

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This bill prohibits pharmaceutical companies from deducting advertising expenses for prescription drugs from their federal taxes. By eliminating this tax benefit for direct-to-consumer drug advertising, the legislation aims to reduce pharmaceutical marketing costs that ultimately get passed on to consumers and taxpayers.

Bill Number: 1785
Sponsor: Josh Hawley (R-MO)
Introduced: 5/15/2025
Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
Policy Area: Health

Data from Congress.gov

AI-generated summary

Fact Sheet

Title: No Handouts for Drug Advertisements Act
Bill Number: 1785
Sponsor: Josh Hawley (R-MO)
Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
Introduced: 5/15/2025
Summary: This bill prohibits pharmaceutical companies from deducting advertising expenses for prescription drugs from their federal taxes. By eliminating this tax benefit for direct-to-consumer drug advertising, the legislation aims to reduce pharmaceutical marketing costs that ultimately get passed on to co

Data from Congress.gov

AI Summary

Plain-English explanation of this bill

This bill prohibits pharmaceutical companies from deducting advertising expenses for prescription drugs from their federal taxes. By eliminating this tax benefit for direct-to-consumer drug advertising, the legislation aims to reduce pharmaceutical marketing costs that ultimately get passed on to consumers and taxpayers.

Last updated: 1/4/2026

Official Summary

Congressional Research Service summary

Stop Fentanyl Overdoses Act of 2023This bill establishes several programs and requirements to address the use of fentanyl and related substances, including public health programs and programs to support law enforcement activities.For example, the bill requires federal agencies to prioritize data collection and reporting about fentanyl in existing drug surveillance programs, such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Overdose Data to Action program. It also establishes training and grant programs to support state and local agencies with fentanyl detection and tracking.The bill also requires the Department of State to report on countries that are the principal sources of synthetic drugs trafficked in the United States, and it requires the Government Accountability Office to report on the impact of the Drug Enforcement Administration's High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas program on illicit fentanyl that is imported via mail and cargo.The bill also establishes programs to support education and treatment relating to opioid use, including a grant program for state and local agencies to provide educational resources and a program to provide treatment in federal prisons. It also provides immunity from civil and criminal liability for those who administer opioid overdose reversal drugs (e.g., naloxone).

Key Points

Main provisions of the bill

Eliminates tax deductions for prescription drug advertising
Targets direct-to-consumer pharmaceutical marketing
Aims to reduce drug prices by cutting marketing incentives
Removes tax benefits that subsidize drug commercials
Discourages excessive pharmaceutical advertising spending

How This Impacts Americans

Potential effects on citizens and communities

For consumers: Potential drug price reductions as companies spend less on advertising. For pharmaceutical companies: Loss of tax deduction for advertising expenses, changing marketing calculations. For taxpayers: No longer subsidizing drug advertisements through tax code. For healthcare system: Possible shift from marketing-driven to value-driven drug choices.

Policy Areas

Primary Policy Area

Health

Related Subjects

Civil actions and liability

Congressional oversight

Correctional facilities and imprisonment

Customs enforcement

Drug trafficking and controlled substances

Drug, alcohol, tobacco use

Federal preemption

Government information and archives

Government studies and investigations

Health care costs and insurance

+9 more

Scope & Jurisdiction

Jurisdiction Level

federal

Congressional Session

119th Congress

Citation Reference

1785, 119th Congress (2025). "No Handouts for Drug Advertisements Act". Source: Voter's Right Platform. https://votersright.org/bills/118-s-1785

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