Lawmakers Press for Changes to Drug Advertising
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On Wednesday, members of Congress asked the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), in order to accelerate and to force other companies to ensure the security of information in the reports of their TV and radio spots. The law seeks to “direct-to-consumer” advertising, overnight, other items of messages and information to study how consumers relate to the potential side effects of the drug with the FDA. The Agency tracks drugs’ adverse events and uses the reports of doctors and patients to be attentive to potential safety problems with drugs on the market today. Given that the system is on a voluntary basis, the FDA, Scientists are concerned, there is a shortage, most Adverse Drug Reaction. “If only a fraction of the side effects of medicines are sent to the FDA, which means that the system does not work,” explains Representatives Rosa DeLauro, Connecticut-Democrat , chairs, the house of the sub-commission to monitor the budget for the FDA. “Consumer Reports An alarm system,” says Jan Shakowski representatives, Democrat of Illinois. A law adopted in September 2007 requires medication print messages to the state, “You are invited to report the negative side effects of drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov / medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA - 1088. “For the moment, no announcement dissemination requirements of the declaration, if the law requires the FDA at the beginning of the consideration of this issue through this January, the study is not yet complete. In late December, the Consumers Union, an application to the FDA on the statement on television and radio ads on drugs. “We know that drugs are everywhere ads so that people at least a chance to reverse the side effects of medication should be available,” said Liz Foley, advertising and other efforts to Consumers Union. Rita, spokesman for the FDA Chappelle, said the agency sought within the group of the petition. “All of this is now in the process, it is not correct to say that this has not happened.” Chappelle would not confirm whether the Agency began the study. Jeff Trewhitt, a spokesman for Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), the largest industry receipt of the group, said the group will not comment until the FDA concluded its investigation. “We want, by the end of his study on the feasibility of the receipt of this information, and we want to see what you recommend,” said Trewhitt. Direct-to-Consumer advertising readers billion dollars in sales in the United States and studies, most of the television ads medication to minimize the risks. List of medications began ordinance, the air a little more than ten years, but a recent study by the University of Georgia, most do not have a good balance of information, especially when it comes Side effects of drugs. The guidelines of the 1997 FDA allowed other companies to expand considerably the scope of the “Direct-to-Consumer advertising requires that the companies have a fair balance between information on the effectiveness and information on risks, but fair is not defined by FDA. Proponents of direct-to-consumer ads argue that it will contribute to the awareness of various medical conditions and treatment, while critics argue that the advertisements push health costs by steering consumers to buy expensive drugs, they do not need to spread. |