four-prong test in Shapero.7 These are the key rulings of the court, for further comprehension of the issue, a discussion of case law follows.
Virginia Pharmacy Board v. Virginia Consumer Council, 425 U.S. 748 (1976). The Virginia Pharmacy Board acted to preclude pharmacists from advertising prices of prescription drugs and other means of commercial speech. Defendant alleged that this action violated the rights of pharmacists as well as consumers of prescription drugs, who had the right to obtain such information.
The court specifically considered the Board's regulation of commercial advertising by pharmacists. The court defined advertisement as a form of commercial speech designed for the pecuniary gain of the advertiser.8 The court asserted that reasonable restrictions on the time, the place, and the manner of advertising may be imposed. However, in general, the state may not lawfully suppress the dissemination of truthful information, because such suppression is in violation of the First and Fourteenth Amendments of
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