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  5. Prescription Drug Advertising
  1. Information for Consumers and Patients | Drugs

Prescription Drug Advertising

Your healthcare provider is the best source of information about the right medicines for you.

Prescription drug advertisements can provide useful information for consumers to work with their health care providers to make wise decisions about treatment. The example ads below show the correct and incorrect versions of different types of drug ads.

If you think a prescription drug ad violates the law, contact FDA's Office of Prescription Drug Promotion.

Product Claim Ad

correct/incorrect ad

A product claim ad names a drug, the condition it treats, and talks about both its benefits and risks.

Reminder Ad

correct/incorrect reminder ad

A reminder ad gives the drug's name but not the drug's use.

Help-Seeking Ad

correct/incorrect help-seeking ad

A help-seeking ad describes a disease or condition but does not recommend or suggest specific drugs.

Note: This website does not purport to set forth all the ways in which an ad may violate the law, but rather to explain to the public some of the basic concepts related to drug advertising. 

This site was developed as a collaborative effort between FDA and EthicAd to educate consumers about DTC prescription drug advertisements. 



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