New FDA rules target those ubiquitous TV drug commercials

The Food and Drug Administration released new guidelines requiring drugmakers to be clear and direct when explaining their medications' risks and side effects to consumers. 

These new rules cover both TV and radio and instruct drugmakers to use simple, consumer-friendly language when describing their drugs, without medical terminology, distracting visuals, or audio effects. 

The Associated Press noted that one of FDA’s requirements calls for drug companies to show on-screen text about side effects while the audio information plays.

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FDA officials' requirement for truthful, balanced risk and benefit information applies to drugmakers, but the AP noted that a new trend started happening involving pharmaceutical influencers promoting drugs online with little supervision. 

However, a new bill introduced by Sens. Dick Durbin of Illinois and Mike Braun of Indiana would bring influencers and telehealth companies under the FDA's supervision, requiring them to share risk and side effect information. This legislation also would require drugmakers to publicly disclose payments to influencers.

The FDA has always required that drug commercials offer a balanced picture of both the benefits and risks of the product. According to the Associated Press, a 2007 law required the FDA to ensure that drug risk information appears "in a clear, conspicuous and neutral manner."

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News of the FDA’s rules come as Donald Trump's advisers begin sharing plans for the FDA and the pharmaceutical industry. 

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., an anti-vaccine activist who has advised the president-elect, wants to eliminate TV drug ads. 

According to the AP, Kennedy and other industry skeptics contend that the U.S. and New Zealand are the only countries where prescription drugs can be promoted on TV.