DTC rules still cause for policy wrangling; Media, consumer groups on opposite sides.(News; direct to consumer ads for pharmaceuticals)(Brief Article)

Advertising Age, September, 2002 by Teinowitz, Ira

Byline: IRA TEINOWITZ

A discussion over whether the Food and Drug Administration's restrictions on DTC advertising should be loosened (AA, May 20, P. 1) has kicked up a fight between consumer groups, print media and drugmakers.

Drug makers, ad and media groups are urging easing of current DTC restrictions, contending there is no evidence that direct-to-consumer advertising causes overmedication. They see as too cumbersome the requirement that drugmakers run long lists of side effects in newspaper and magazine ads.

``Providing too much information ... can undermine the efficacy of the disclosure,'' warned the Magazine Publishers of America. ``When the information is not readable and useful, it is less useful.'' MPA asked that the summary be...

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