CDER to Research Drug Ad Terms

The CDER Office of Prescription Drug Promotion (OPDP) says it wants to do research to assess terms and phrases commonly used in prescription drug promotion. A Federal Register notice says the research will look at how consumers and primary care doctors interpret these expressions. It will look at both how each population defines some 30 terms and phrases and what the terms and phrases imply, such as about efficacy and safety.

“Understanding the most prevalent interpretations of these terms and phrases can help determine the impact of specific language in prescription drug promotion,” the notice says. “For example, certain terms and phrases, when used without additional contextual information, might overstate the efficacy or minimize the risk of a product. Additionally, from a health literacy perspective, it is helpful to ascertain general understanding of such terms and phrases as they may aid in the development of best practices around communicating these concepts.”