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Science FDA Holding Meetings to Discuss Social Media Ad Regulation by Biotech Industry
Michael Barkoviak - November 13, 2009 8:22 AM

7 comment(s) - last by clovell.. on Nov 14 at 12:22 AM

Inside a Chiron biotech lab (Source: Chiron)

Scientists and the FDA are now meeting to discuss social media ad regulation

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is meeting with pharmaceutical representatives in Washington, D.C. to discuss how it should handle online drug ads shown on the Internet.

As the pharmaceutical industry continues to walk a fine line in the Web 2.0 world, drug ads remains a touchy topic -- doctors and consumer groups often criticize drug makers of using ads to help influence prescribing habits of patients.

Direct Marketing Association anticipates drug advertising will increase to $1.7 billion in 2012, up from $1 billion USD in 2008.

The FDA has been uncertain how to handle Internet advertisements, and previously warned 14 pharmaceutical companies in April regarding possible misleading Internet ads. Specifically, biotech companies are forced to list side effects of the drugs during TV commercials -- something not required by online ads at the moment.

An Internet user who comes across an online ad will not become aware of a drug's side effects, which is unfair to the consumer.

During the meeting, the FDA was told by advertising experts and pharmaceutical reps that the agency simply cannot expect all drug ads shown online to show all health risks -- and the FDA needs to be very careful if it does intend to try and regulate online drug ads.

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Only in America...

By Proteusza on 11/13/2009 9:00:29 AM , Rating: 2

... do the companies tell the regulator whats acceptable to them.

RE: Only in America...

By UltraWide on 11/13/2009 9:06:28 AM , Rating: 2

Yup the power of lobbies is so great that corporation, not the government, control people now.

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RE: Only in America...

By amanojaku on 11/13/2009 9:20:52 AM , Rating: 3

Considering the number of people AGAINST government regulation I'm surprised to hear people complaining about corporate "regulation". There will always be that struggle of corporations vs. the people, and the government will always be blamed for both sides' loses.

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RE: Only in America...

By mmntech on 11/13/2009 9:35:56 AM , Rating: 2

I always find it weird watching all the drug ads on American TV. Drug ads are effectively banned in Canada. You can advertise the name of the product but you can't tell people what it does. Drug ads up here can look pretty silly because of this, but they can get creative at times. Search Youtube for Canadian viagra and cialis ads. They're pretty clever.

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Why not?

By molgenit on 11/13/2009 9:09:45 AM , Rating: 2

quote:
the agency simply cannot expect all drug ads shown online to show all health risks

It would be a lot easier to do than the television requirements.

RE: Why not?

By foolsgambit11 on 11/13/2009 5:56:51 PM , Rating: 2

Exactly - the problem is that people would actually have the time to read the warnings on an internet ad, instead of squinting at the tiny 3 paragraphs on the TV screen that they only have 5 seconds to read. The drug companies cannot suffer that.

(I know, they read the side effects out loud, but there's still a substantial block of text to read.)

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404 Error

By clovell on 11/14/2009 12:22:41 AM , Rating: 2

>
During the meeting, the FDA was told by advertising experts and pharmaceutical reps that the agency simply cannot expect all drug ads shown online to show all health risks -- and the FDA needs to be very careful if it does intend to try and regulate online drug ads.

I didn't find that in the Reuters article, Michael - can you source it for me?