Top U.S. Food and Drug Administration official said there is no evidence that risks outweigh the benefits of direct-to-consumer advertising of prescription drugs, according to wire service reports.
DTC ads make heavy use of direct response television and print.
Guidelines on drugmakers’ broadcast advertising were revised in 1997 to allow companies to actively promote a drug’s benefits to consumers for the first time, if the ads included a brief summary of risks. Insurers say advertising contributes to higher drug costs, and some consumer groups complain the ads confuse patients. Some have asked the FDA to tighten restrictions on TV advertising.
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