Tired of your kids asking you what “erectile dysfunction” is? You’re not alone.

Ads for impotency drugs such as Pfizer Inc’s Viagra have drawn the ire of lawmakers and others for their suggestive content, says Reuters, prompting a lobbying group to announce that the ads “should” be shown during “television programs or in publications that target adults.” They also promised to disclose when actors were being used in drug commercials.

Some lawmakers are skeptical of the promises — because they are voluntary and can’t be enforced by the FDA.

The FDA regulates industry advertising but has said that it lacks the staff and funding to review every piece of marketing companies put out.

Democratic lawmakers have been especially skeptical of pharmaceutical advertisements that directly target consumers and have used hearings to highlight some worrisome practices, such as using flashy graphics and other techniques to distract from a drug’s risks.

“On one hand, PhRMA has taken our Committee’s concerns seriously … on the other hand, some of these changes are merely a rewording of prior policy that does nothing to increase consumer protection,” said Rep. Bart Stupak, a Michigan Democrat who heads the U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Committee’s investigative panel.

“Our investigation will continue, and we will be keeping a watchful eye on how well the industry follows these guidelines,” he said in a statement.

Drugmakers to note actors, make other ad changes [Reuters]

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