In America, where firms have been allowed to peddle pills on television, consumer drug advertising has shot up from $1.1 billion in 1997 to perhaps $4.5 billion last year.

• 在美国，制药企业可以在电视上为药品做广告，1997年花在消费药品广告上的钱是11亿美元，去年可能已增至45亿。