We’ve all seen the various drug ads on television, but what—if any—feedback is available, aside from paid testimonials by the drug companies? Where do consumers turn if experiencing negative side effects or symptoms?
According to recently released reports by the FDA, lawmakers are pushing for an FDA hotline for consumers to report on drugs purchased through television ads. On April 2, 2008, Reps. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., and Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill., “urged the FDA to require that all TV ads for prescription medicines display the FDA’s contact information to help consumers report serious side effects.”
DeLauro and Schakowsky supports their urging by citing a Consumer Reports poll that found that only 35 percent of respondents who had experienced an adverse reaction after taking a prescription drug knew they could inform the agency about such events.
MedWatch is an FDA hotline available to consumers for reporting and obtaining information. In addition to telephone contact information, the FDA has a website for MedWatch that provides consumers with access to information on specific drugs before purchasing. The site also provides an online report tool for submitting information, experiences and serious reactions to drugs.
If lawmakers have their way, the FDA hotline will be displayed on all drug advertisements in the near future. After all, the public’s health safety is the primary concern, lawmakers say.
Sources:
Los Angeles Times article: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-drugs3apr03,1,5940027.story
MedWatch, Food and Drug Administration (FDA): http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/
