Heavy regulatory scrutiny and public skepticism regarding drug safety is largely due to the widely publicized health risks of popular arthritis painkillers. A large contributor to this doubt: The belief that television commercial advertising downplays harmful side effects caused by drugs.
As a repercussion, more and more drug makers are taking a step back from advertising their drugs on television and searching for new methods to reach consumers. In fact, TAP Pharmaceuticals has pulled a nearly $100-million TV advertisement campaign for Prevacid to focus on print ads that more easily explain the potential side effects and health risks. (Johnson & Johnson has voluntarily made the switch as well.)
According to a TAP spokeswoman, print advertising allows consumers to take their time reviewing the risk-benefit information; it also gives the company more room to include that information.
FDA Taking a Stand?
As far as misleading, faulty drug advertising on television is concerned, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has been showing signs it will watch ads more closely:
The agency asked Bayer Pharmaceuticals and its marketing partners to pull a 15-second version of their television ad that promotes the erectile dysfunction drug Levitra. Why? The FDA said the ad did not include certain safety information and made a misleading claim about how Levitra compares with other drugs in the same class.
The agency made Pfizer pull ads for Viagra for similar reasons.
Forbes April 19, 2005
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette April 19, 2005
Chicago Tribune April 19, 2005 (Registration Required)
Using deceptive and illegal marketing tactics is not unusual for many drug companies. Other incidents also highlight the drug industry's unethical business practices. It is encouraging to learn that the average consumer's growing awareness about the dangers of prescription medications is having a positive effect on what these companies can and can't do.
We do need some type of regulatory function to prevent these types of consumer abuses, though. The FDA's recent crackdown on the deceptive claims being used in one of Bayer's TV ads for Levitra is a step in the right direction.
The evidence continues to grow that we are making a difference and that diligent efforts will finally succeed.
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