Mandatory Rest Period

A slap on the wrist for drug companies came out from the FDA. No more misleading internet ads without risks being included! You know, it's not like you can just get these drugs over the counter. You have to discuss these options with a qualified doctor too. Do your homework peoples! Don't believe the internets! :)

"For the first time, the Food and Drug Administration on Friday warned 14 of the world's leading pharmaceutical companies about misleading Internet ads that appear when people do online queries for their medical products through search engines such as Google.

The FDA said the ads are misleading because they omit risk information associated with the products.

Companies that received the letters include Biogen Idec Inc. (BIIB), Sanofi- Aventis (SNY), Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK).

Biogen received a warning letter for its multiple-sclerosis drug Tysabri. The ads say "A Multiple Sclerosis Treatment That's Different from the Others" or " Satisfied with your MS Medication or Looking for Something Different?" but don't include any risk information.

"Their casual approach to Tysabri treatment is extraordinary in light of the potentially lethal risks of the drug and the stringent controls over its distribution," the FDA said in its letter to Biogen on March 26. The letter was posted on the agency's Web site Friday.

Biogen's ad includes a link to the Web site for the drug, which does contain the relevant risk information. The FDA said the link "does not mitigate the misleading omission of risk information from these promotional materials."

- posted by Anonymous @ 1:19 PM - Link @ 1:19 PM - Link to this post - Comments (0)

			Hi, I’m Kim! This site provides a little insight to my journey of being diagnosised with Remitting Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis on October 26th 2004. I review books and documentaries, post MS-related news, and share my photos. Subscribe (RSS) My bloglines Archives Current November 2004 December 2004 January 2005 February 2005 March 2005 April 2005 May 2005 June 2005 July 2005 August 2005 September 2005 October 2005 November 2005 December 2005 January 2006 February 2006 March 2006 April 2006 May 2006 June 2006 July 2006 August 2006 September 2006 October 2006 November 2006 December 2006 January 2007 February 2007 March 2007 April 2007 May 2007 June 2007 July 2007 August 2007 September 2007 October 2007 November 2007 December 2007 January 2008 February 2008 March 2008 April 2008 May 2008 June 2008 July 2008 August 2008 September 2008 October 2008 November 2008 December 2008 January 2009 February 2009 March 2009 April 2009 May 2009 June 2009 July 2009 August 2009 September 2009 October 2009 November 2009 December 2009 January 2010 February 2010 March 2010 May 2010 June 2010 July 2010 September 2010 November 2011

	Thursday, April 9, 2009 *Tsk, tsk, tsk* A slap on the wrist for drug companies came out from the FDA. No more misleading internet ads without risks being included! You know, it's not like you can just get these drugs over the counter. You have to discuss these options with a qualified doctor too. Do your homework peoples! Don't believe the internets! :) "For the first time, the Food and Drug Administration on Friday warned 14 of the world's leading pharmaceutical companies about misleading Internet ads that appear when people do online queries for their medical products through search engines such as Google. The FDA said the ads are misleading because they omit risk information associated with the products. Companies that received the letters include Biogen Idec Inc. (BIIB), Sanofi- Aventis (SNY), Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK). Biogen received a warning letter for its multiple-sclerosis drug Tysabri. The ads say "A Multiple Sclerosis Treatment That's Different from the Others" or " Satisfied with your MS Medication or Looking for Something Different?" but don't include any risk information. "Their casual approach to Tysabri treatment is extraordinary in light of the potentially lethal risks of the drug and the stringent controls over its distribution," the FDA said in its letter to Biogen on March 26. The letter was posted on the agency's Web site Friday. Biogen's ad includes a link to the Web site for the drug, which does contain the relevant risk information. The FDA said the link "does not mitigate the misleading omission of risk information from these promotional materials." - posted by Anonymous @ 1:19 PM - Link @ 1:19 PM - Link to this post - Comments (0)