those poor, poor pharmaceutical companies

Why is it that pharmaceutical companies argue that they need strict patent controls so that they can innovate, when they spend 2.5 times more money on advertising directly to consumers than they do on R&D?

Does anyone actually think it’s reasonable for people to be “ask[ing] [their] doctor if (insert brand-name drug here) is right for [them]?” Aren’t doctors supposed to perform the diagnosis and prescribe what’s appropriate?

Tobacco companies can’t market directly to consumers on television anymore, because it’s illegal. I think it’s time that pharmaceutical companies went back to the business of manufacturing pharmaceuticals and lost the privilege to market direct to the public.