Marketing of prescription drugs gets attention.

• Position: TRENDS AND TRANSITIONS

Lawmakers are considering a variety of new requirements on pharmaceutical manufacturers. The legislation would require the companies to report gifts to doctors, to report or restrict direct-to-consumer advertising, to publicly disclose or post drug prices and to report the activities and expenditures of their sales force. Some states are looking at resolutions asking federal agencies to review direct-to-consumer advertising practices.

Although very few laws have actually passed, 28 states proposed at least 68 bills this session compared to 31 bills in 13 states last year. California, Minnesota, Maine, Vermont, West Virginia and the District of Columbia already have these kinds of laws. Maine is the only state this session to pass new legislation in this area--and it was to soften its current law. Maine is delaying implementation of an existing law, which...