US FDA views ways to improve consumer understanding of Rx drug ads

Findings from three studies conducted by the US Food and Drug Administration confirm that the way information is conveyed and displayed in printed drug advertising affects consumer understanding of prescription medications.

The studies, designed by experts in FDA’s Division of Drug, Marketing, Advertising and Communications (DDMAC) in the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, examined ways to improve understanding of how consumers use the “brief summary” section of printed prescription drug ads. The on-line edition of the journal “Medical Decision Making” published findings from the third study this week.

The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act specifies that print advertisements for prescription drugs and biological products are required to provide a true statement of information “in brief summary” about the advertised product’s “side effects, contraindications, and effectiveness.”