US FDA’s ‘Incremental Step’ On Rx Ads: A Long Time Coming

Final rule on the so-called ‘major statement’ in direct-to-consumer broadcast ads comes 15 years after the law it is implementing. A lot has changed in the advertising world since then – but FDA says the principles of ‘clear, conspicuous and neutral’ presentation of risk information still apply.

TV with antenna
Has FDA advertising regulation kept up with the times? • Source: Shutterstock

The US Food & Drug Administration describes its newly finalized rule on how broadcast ads for prescription drugs are to present key safety information in almost oxymoronic terms: “this rulemaking is an important incremental measure,” the agency says.

The rule is “important” enough to merit a statement by Health & Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, who posted a comment on “X” (the site formerly known as Twitter) summarizing...

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