FDA Offers Guidance For Drug and Medical Device Advertising
The
Wall Street Journal
reports that "the Food and Drug Administration issued proposed advertising guidelines for drug and medical-device makers, with suggestions on ways to present risk information to consumers and health-care professionals." The non-binding draft guidelines "offer several ways that the industry can avoid running afoul of its rules," including the most frequent violation of "the omission or minimization of risk information." Issued on Tuesday, the guidelines urge the use of clear language and emphasize the importance of providing an overall accurate impression of a particular product. The Journal noted that the FDA "will accept comments for 90 days before issuing guidelines" (Dooren, 5/27).
Reuters also reported on the guidelines, emphasizing that "television ads for drugs and medical devices should avoid distracting images and music that can reduce viewers' comprehension of potential side effects." It elaborated that, "The guidelines follow complaints that manufacturers use various techniques in their widely seen television ads and other promotions to downplay risks while emphasizing potential benefits." It also warned of busy scenes, frequent scene changes and moving camera angles that "can misleadingly minimize the risks of the product being promoted by detracting from the audience's comprehension" (Richwine, 5/26).
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