The Food and Drug Administration has proposed to amend its regulations concerning direct-to-
consumer (DTC) advertisements of prescription drugs. Specifically, the proposed rule would implement a new requirement of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, added by the Food and Drug Administration Amendments Act of 2007 (FDAAA), that the major statement in DTC television or radio advertisements relating to the side effects and contraindications of an advertised prescription drug intended for use by humans be presented in a clear, conspicuous, and neutral manner. See 75 Fed. Reg. 15,376 (3/29/10). FDA is also proposing standards that the agency would consider in determining whether the major statement in these advertisements is presented in the manner required by FDAAA.

Readers of MassTortDefense know how DTC ads have impacted products litigation, from effects on the learned intermediary doctrine, to influence on the jury pool, to forming part of the basis of substantive information-based claims.

Under the current regulations the presentation of risk information in an advertisement for a prescription human or animal drug is required to be comparable in prominence and readability to the presentation of effectiveness information in the advertisement. If an advertisement presents effectiveness information in a clear and conspicuous manner, risk information is required to be presented in a comparable manner.  The new proposal would require disclosure of the major side effects and contraindications of the drug in a clear, conspicuous, and neutral manner, regardless of the manner in which effectiveness information is presented in the advertisement.

The proposed regulations would define the required clear, conspicuous, and neutral manner, as being met if:

1. Information is presented in language that is readily understandable by consumers;
2. Audio information is understandable in terms of the volume, articulation, and pacing used;
3. Textual information is placed appropriately and is presented against a contrasting background for sufficient duration and in a size and style of font that allows the information to be read easily; and
4. The advertisement does not include distracting representations (including statements, text, images, or sounds or any combination thereof) that detract from the communication of the major
statement.

FDA said it recognizes that these standards require judgment in their application. Therefore, the agency does not intend to prescribe a set formula for ‘‘clear, conspicuous, and neutral’’ major
statements because there is more than one way to achieve these standards in a television or radio ad. FDA intends to be flexible enough to consider the variety of techniques sponsors may use to appropriately convey required risk information in prescription drug ads. Sponsors have the flexibility to be creative in designing their ads as long as all of the standards listed here are complied with such that the major statement is communicated effectively to consumers and the overall message
that the advertisement conveys to consumers is accurate and non-misleading.

Comments on the proposed rule are due by June 28, 2010.