FDA Requirements for Prescription Drug Ads
Prescription drugs may be advertised in three types of ads:
1. Product claim ads require the most information and give both the drug name and a medical condition the drug treats;
2. Help-seeking ads may only describe a medical condition or disease but may not name a drug;
3. Reminder ads may name a drug but no medical conditions or diseases.
The FDA sets regulations for prescription drug ads, but it does not review ads before they are released to the public. If an ad violates the regulations, the FDA takes action to have the pharmaceutical company correct or remove the ad.
Below are the requirements for each type of ad from the FDA’s June 6, 2013 “Be Smart about Prescription Drug Advertising: A Guide for Consumers,” available at www.fda.gov.
