I'm more concerned people dragoon their doctors based on some half-incoherent Super Bowl ad. They can't possibly be convinced that's ideal for their health in most cases, but I think health insurance hides the costs of wasting your doctor's time.
(Which is to say, I wouldn't be concerned about making it illegal if it stopped being so effective.)
In my experience a lot of doctors are just happy when patients take real interest in their own health, even if that particular drug isn't the best choice. Jaded by too many noncompliant patients.
That's why they advertise on Superbowl, TV shows and everywhere else. To make people think they have something and their pill can make it go away. Doctor Johnson doesn't prescribe it, another one will.
It can be. Does the average patient have a medical license, know of all the side effects...etc etc? NOPE. Ask questions of course but like buying frying pans you saw on a 4am infomercial with "Only 2 left, hurry!!!" demanding the meds you saw on tv is a bad idea.
I've heard this happens a lot. Plus, if the person is really adamant about getting whatever drug, the doctor knows that it's possible the patient will find a new doctor to prescribe it anyway.
Sure but medicine is a profession and doctors usually don't suffer when they lose a patient to a "competitor", so they shouldn't typically feel pressured to give a patient whatever drug they want.
I've heard that and brought that up to a doctor friend of mine at the time, and they told me that they would rather give the prescription if it won't harm the person, because it's likely the patient will go to a questionable doctor / online pharmacy and the risk might be less just to comply.
(Which is to say, I wouldn't be concerned about making it illegal if it stopped being so effective.)