Considering the Future of Pharmaceutical Promotions in Social Media; Comment on “Trouble Spots in Online Direct-to-Consumer Prescription Drug Promotion: A Content Analysis of FDA Warning Letters”

Document Type : Commentary

Author

School of Media and Journalism, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA

Abstract

This commentary explores the implications of increased social media marketing by drug manufacturers, based on findings in Hyosun Kim’s article of the major themes in recent Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warning letters and notices of violation regarding online direct-to-consumer promotions of pharmaceuticals. Kim’s rigorous analysis of FDA letters over a 10-year span highlights a relative abundance of regulatory action toward marketer-controlled websites and sponsored advertisements, compared to branded and unbranded social media messaging. However, social media marketing efforts are increasing, as is FDA attention to these efforts. This commentary explores recent developments and continuing challenges in the FDA’s attempts to provide guidance and define pharmaceutical company accountability in marketer-controlled and -uncontrolled claims disseminated through social media.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

  1. Sufrin CB, Ross JS. Pharmaceutical industry marketing: Understanding its impact on women’s health. Obstet Gynecol Surv. 2008;63(9):585-596. doi:10.1097/ogx.0b013e31817f1585
  2. Iskowitz M. Pharma poised to up online ad spend: eMarketer. Med Mark Media. April 27, 2011. http://www.mmm-online.com/channel/pharma-poised-to-up-online-ad-spend-emarketer/article/201584/
  3. Liang BA, Mackey TK. Prevalence and global health implications of social media in direct-to-consumer drug advertising. J Med Internet Res. 2011;13(3):e64. doi:10.2196/jmir.1775
  4. Kim H. Trouble spots in online direct-to-consumer prescription drug promotion: a content analysis of FDA warning letters. Int J Health Policy Manag. 2015;4(12):813-821. doi:10.15171/ijhpm.2015.157
  5. Fisherow WB. Shape of prescription drug advertising: a survey of promotional techniques and regulatory trends. Food Drug Cosmetic Law Journal. 1987;42:213-236.
  6. Robinson AR, Hohmann KB, Rifkin JI, et al. Direct-to-consumer pharmaceutical advertising: physician and public opinion and potential effects on the physician-patient relationship. Arch Intern Med. 2004;164(4):427-432. doi:10.1001/archinte.164.4.427
  7. Huh J, Delorme DE, Reid LN. The third-person effect and its influence on behavioral outcomes in a product advertising context: the case of direct-to-consumer prescription drug advertising. Comm Res. 2004;31(5):568-599. doi:10.1177/0093650204267934
  8. Burgess C, Carroll BM. Social Media Law & Policy Report;2015.
  9. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Internet/social media platforms: Correcting independent third-party misinformation about prescription drugs and medical devices. http://www.fda.gov/downloads/drugs/guidancecomplianceregulatoryinformation/guidances/ucm401079.pdf. Published 2014.
  10. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Internet/social media platforms with character space limitations: Presenting risk and benefit information for prescription drugs and medical devices. http://www.fda.gov/downloads/drugs/guidancecomplianceregulatoryinformation/guidances/ucm401087.pdf. Published 2014.
  11. Gibson S. Regulating direct-to-consumer advertising of prescription drugs in the digital age. Laws. 2014;3(3):410-438. doi:10.3390/laws3030410
  12. McMullan M. Patients using the Internet to obtain health information: how this affects the patient–health professional relationship. Patient Educ Couns. 2006;63(1):24-28. doi:10.1016/j.pec.2005.10.006
  13. Terhune C. Consumers using social media for medical information, report says. Los Angeles Times. 2012. http://articles.latimes.com/2012/apr/17/business/la-fi-mo-social-health-20120417
  14. Eastin MS. Credibility assessments of online health information: The effects of source expertise and knowledge of content. J Comput Mediat Commun. 2001;6(4):0. doi:10.1111/j.1083-6101.2001.tb00126.x
  15. Petty RE, Cacioppo JT. Effects of forewarning of persuasive intent and involvement on cognitive responses and persuasion. Pers Soc Psychol Bull. 1979;5(2):173-176. doi:10.1177/014616727900500209
  16. Lenzer J. Big Pharma would like to befriend you. BMJ. 2011;342:d4075. doi:10.1136/bmj.d4075
  17. Greene JA, Kesselheim AS. Pharmaceutical marketing and the new social media. N Engl J Med. 2010;363(22):2087-2089. doi:10.1056/nejmp1004986
  18. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Guidance for Industry Responding to Unsolicited Requests for Off-Label Information About Prescription Drugs and Medical Devices. http://www.fda.gov/downloads/drugs/guidancecomplianceregulatoryinformation/guidances/ucm285145.pdf. Published 2011.
  19. Kesselheim AS. Off-label drug use and promotion: balancing public health goals and commercial speech. Am J Law Med. 2011;37(2-3):225-257.
  20. Malloy M. What is the role of unbranded websites in pharmaceutical digital marketing. DTC Perspect. 2010;9(3):27-28.

Files

History

  • Receive Date: 16 December 2015
  • Revise Date: 06 February 2016
  • Accept Date: 07 February 2016
  • First Publish Date: 01 April 2016

Share

How to cite

Statistics