patient who has false hope. Patients who are successfully being treated on a different regime become interested in trying something new, just because the ad was enticing. Unfortunately, the ads fail to advise patients that changing medications unnecessarily can be dangerous. Other providers feel that the ads have helped patients become more involved in their own healthcare. Patients ask more questions. They have a better understanding of the other options to consider for treatment of certain conditions. Patients come in for an appointment with more questions and more information than ever before. Physicians often find that patients are researching via the Internet many of the products that they see on TV. Providers often find that it is easier to explain the uses of certain medications to patients who have read up on their condition. These ads have prompted many patients to do just that.To help alleviate the chance of any misinformation being broadcast to patients, the FDA often reviews the material used by drug companies in these ads, as well as in printed materials. If an advertisement is found to be misleading or false, the agency may take action against the company. The FDA regulates all prescription drug promotions, including the promotional tactics of its sales staff. With this in mind, the threat of a sanction from the FDA often looms over the head of some of these companies and their ambitious salespeople.LABELING OF PRESCRIPTION MEDICATIONS. Healthcare providers find that many of these drug companies fail to label medications responsibly. The FDA to improve the labeling of prescription medication has drafted a proposal. Package inserts are a primary means of providing information about medications to providers. The FDA now reviews and approves drug product labeling before it is distributed. Practitioners find the inserts to be complicated, lengthy, and difficult to use. The proposed format would offer a highl...
