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# Consumers Concerned About DTC Ads
- URL: https://www.fdaweb.com/consumers-concerned-about-dtc-ads/
- Published: 2016-09-01T12:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-14T21:29:05.000Z
- Author: David McFarland
- Tags: FDA Policy/General, #legacy-id-D5136678

The Patient, Consumer, and Public Health Coalition took advantage of an FDA request for comment on a proposed direct-to-consumer (DTC) ad survey to raise again concerns about the DTC ads themselves. The 13 organizations in the coalition [say](https://www.regulations.gov/document?D=FDA-2016-N-0544-0018&ref=fdaweb.com) they are “very concerned about the impact of DTC ads on prescriptions, and are especially disappointed at FDA’s failure to follow through on the agency’s previous proposals to put risk information on a more equal footing with information about benefits. Due to FDA’s continued acquiescence to companies’ proposed ads, DTC ads use the power of an expensive advertising campaign to persuade patients to use medical products that may not be safe or appropriate for them. Rather than empowering consumers, direct-to-consumer ads expose consumers to the most expensive persuasion money can buy.”

Commenting on the survey proposal itself, Lilly [says](https://www.regulations.gov/document?D=FDA-2016-N-0544-0016&ref=fdaweb.com) the agency should create separate surveys to more thoroughly and clearly measure certain aspects of the proposed survey. It notes that the projected 35% response rate seems optimistically high given the survey length and effort required of respondents. And it recommends using an online survey rather than a mailed paper form.

Merck makes [suggestions](https://www.regulations.gov/document?D=FDA-2016-N-0544-0017&ref=fdaweb.com) for wording changes in the survey document to make it easier for consumers to understand. And AbbVie [calls](https://www.regulations.gov/document?D=FDA-2016-N-0544-0015&ref=fdaweb.com) on FDA to account in the survey for the variety of media types through which consumers are exposed to DTC ads.