The nighttime television ads are impossible to miss. They are seen on most channels across cable TV and they all tell viewers about a prescription drug that will help them live longer, or clear up their toenail fungus or make them happier or give them a better sex life or improve the effectiveness of insulin in managing diabetes.

The commercials feature vague promises and sometimes it is difficult to figure out what illness or condition the ad is targeting. But even without understanding the ads, viewers see happy people — so the pill must be good.

The ads also feature a long list of possible side effects, sometimes including headaches, nausea, dizziness, and even heart failure or risk of death. Typically, the long list of possible side effects is spoken so quickly, it’s hard to hear or remember them.

Finally, all the ads end with a suggestion, “Ask your doctor if “fill in the blank” is right for you.”

Well, if you ask most doctors about these ubiquitous ads, they will say the ads should not be running on TV.

Reflecting that reality, last week, the American Medical Association issued a policy statement supporting a ban on such direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertising of prescription drugs.

While most American have become accustomed to seeing the DTC ads, it’s worth noting that only two countries, the United States and New Zealand allow DTC ads for prescription drugs.

The ads have become more frequent in recent years. The drug makers have boosted spending on the DTC ads by 30 percent over the past two years, with total DTC advertising hitting $4.5 billion last year.

Of that figure, drug giant, Pfizer, which just announced a $160 billion merger with Allergan, accounted for $1.1 billion promoting Viagara, Celebrex, Chantix and Lyrica.

The AMA suggests that the United States join the rest of the world and end the practice of direct advertising of prescription drugs. It’s good advice.

The AMA argues that the ads are not helpful for patient’s health. They say patients asking them about the drug they saw advertised are often misinformed about the drug and don’t fully understand the benefits, appropriate treatment and possible side effects.

The AMA also argued that in many cases, older, less expensive drugs work just as well, but the ads on television have patients demanding the new drug. This, the AMA says, is increasing the overall price of drugs, which leads to higher health care costs for all Americans.

The DTC commercials are attempting to replace doctors’ judgments. They want people seeing the DTC commercials to go to their doctor asking for, even demanding, that they get that pill they saw on TV the other night that promises so much.

The AMA’s statement urging the remove the DTC ads from television is the right prescription. After all, the ads all end by saying “Ask your doctor.” And it does make sense to ask doctors — and the AMA — about these ads for prescription drugs.

Their answer is get the ads off television. Let doctors decide the best treatment, not billion-dollar ad budgets.