www.fdanews.com/articles/149440-pharma-blog-watch
Pharma Blog Watch
September 13, 2012
The Fairness of OTC-to-Rx Advertising (Drug Wonks blog)
There have been many conversations recently of possible new categories to switch in the prescription to OTC line up — namely erectile dysfunction medications and statins. “But how does this impact consumer information?” blogger Peter Pitts asks. “Consider the impact of the FDA-to-FTC switch.” The FDA requires a fair balance of benefits and risks associated with drugs. The FTC, however, holds drug advertising to the same standard as other consumer products, only requiring a “reasonable” standard of truthfulness. “Rather than asking either underfunded agency to take on more work, perhaps OTC advertisers should consider what they could do to better educate consumers,” Pitts writes.
There have been many conversations recently of possible new categories to switch in the prescription to OTC line up — namely erectile dysfunction medications and statins. “But how does this impact consumer information?” blogger Peter Pitts asks. “Consider the impact of the FDA-to-FTC switch.” The FDA requires a fair balance of benefits and risks associated with drugs. The FTC, however, holds drug advertising to the same standard as other consumer products, only requiring a “reasonable” standard of truthfulness. “Rather than asking either underfunded agency to take on more work, perhaps OTC advertisers should consider what they could do to better educate consumers,” Pitts writes.