In Canada, when I lived there, Drug ads on TV were not allowed. But they were in Reader's Digest and "paid information supplements.

I donno, Jim other countries have better outcomes for lower cost than the USA without the drugs and often the ads here are to get you loyal to the brand name rather than to the generics. Given that medicine does advance, it would seem only prudent to ask the doctor "are there any new advances that would address my condition?" when one visited. My family in Canada always did that, but maybe we were a little better informed as both my parents had sisters who were nursing supervisors.