Two days of hearings before the FDA about search-based advertising for drugs produced one possible solution: fixed warnings for products. Google has proposed that its AdWords could include a hyper-linked line that warns consumers about the potential dangers of a drug.
As we have written before, makers of nutritional supplements should pay close attention to comments submitted to the FDA before February 2010. There will likely be advocates for warnings on all products that make a claim to support good health. The agency’s rules on search-based advertising for health products could encompass non-prescription items such as vitamins and muscle-building powders.
The ruckus in Washington on Nov. 12 and 13 stemmed from FDA warnings in March to drug makers that their search-based ads did not contain proper product warnings. Drug makers backed off their advertising, and the search-engine companies saw revenues plunge. Everyone hurried to Washington to ask the FDA for clarification.
Google presented a solution. It told the agency that sponsored links are now less transparent and relevant. Google then proposed a standard for product-claim sponsored links:
- A headline that links to a product landing or home page.
- A first line with the Web address for that page, followed by an information message.
- A second line containing a safety warning that cannot be altered, followed by a link to a Web page with more details on the warning.
You can see sample Web pages by Google at Scribd. Other companies and public advocacy groups will likely have ideas on how to balance sales messages and product warnings. There may be software solutions such as pop-ups or Flash that could be integrated in order to present more information in an ad, but an elegant solution seems unlikely. Thus, the FDA could write rules that force makers and marketers of nutritional supplements to alter their sponsored links in ways they never wanted.
About Joel Rothman
Joel B. Rothman represents clients in intellectual property infringement litigation involving patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, defamation, trade libel, unfair competition, unfair and deceptive trade practices, and commercial matters. Joel’s litigation practice also includes significant focus on electronic discovery issues such as e-discovery management and motion practice relating to e-discovery.
Keep in mind that FDA controls Rx drug advertising while OTC drug and dietary supplement advertising is under the FTC, not the FDA. While it certainly could happen that whatever action FDA eventually takes on this issue may trigger FTC to publish similar regulations or guidelines, that doesn’t necessarily follow.
More government intrusion but then what do you do with the modern equivalent of the snake oil salesman? Maybe we need FDA approval for supplements in order to keep people from taking something that could react with their bodies or with any medication they could be taking.