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FDA clears way for splashy drug ads on TV, radio
August 9, 1997
Web posted at: 12:23 a.m. EDT (0423 GMT)WASHINGTON (CNN) -- In the past, when drug manufacturers advertised on television or radio, they didn't tell viewers much more than the brand name of the drug or perhaps what ailment it treated.
That's because U.S. Food and Drug Administration rules encouraged manufacturers to keep advertising vague. If they directly touted a drug's benefits, they legally had to recite a small volume of technical material about possible side effects -- fine print that fills whole pages in drug ads in magazines.
But on Friday, the FDA -- concerned that the old rules were contributing to a climate of confusion -- changed them.
Now, drug companies will be able to tell consumers about a drug's benefits without having to provide all of that technical material, clearing the way for more splashy advertising on TV and radio. However, print advertising will still have to contain the fine print.
"There are a lot of drugs where it really is important that patients understand that there are therapies out there that might help them," says the FDA's Dr. Robert Temple. "And they may not have that information any other way."
There is a catch, though. Advertisers still must directly warn consumers about any major risks or side effects associated with a drug. For drugs with a large number of side effects, that may still make TV or radio advertising impractical.
Drug companies also will have to tell consumers where they can get more information about minor side effects, such as a toll-free telephone number or an Internet site.
The FDA says it will carefully analyze the new ads and crack down on false or misleading claims. The new policy will be reviewed in two years, and the FDA says it will pull the plug if its guidelines are being violated.
Drug makers long anticipated the policy change, which has been under consideration since 1995. Three companies already have TV campaigns cleared by the FDA to start within days.
Some analysts predict that ad spending by drug companies, which had already increased 90 percent from 1995 to 1996, will hit $1 billion next year.
Some consumer advocates don't see that as a welcome development.
Dr. Sidney Wolfe of Public Citizen says he fears drug companies will "be able to get away with twisting the truth a little bit, enough to convince patients to go to their doctors [and] to convince their doctors to prescribe the drug."
Correspondent Jeff Levine contributed to this report.
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