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# Drug Risks and Benefits in CSL Communications
- URL: https://www.fdaweb.com/drug-risks-and-benefits-in-csl-communications/
- Published: 2023-01-03T12:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-14T18:10:23.000Z
- Author: David McFarland
- Tags: Drugs, FDA Policy/General, #legacy-id-D5153429

CDER Office of Prescription Drug Promotion researchers have taken a first look at the tradeoffs for consumer understanding of a drug’s risks and benefits when drugs are promoted in online character space limited (CSL) communications such as Twitter and Google sponsored links. A [report](https://www.fda.gov/drugs/regulatory-science-action/prescription-drug-promotion-online-character-space-limited-csl-communications?ref=fdaweb.com) says that some stakeholders have suggested that when space is limited, a link in the communication to risk information may be sufficient.

The study’s objectives were to examine the effects of **(1)** including substantive risk information in the CSL communication itself versus only providing a link to risk information and **(2)** including both risks and benefits versus describing only risks on the landing page to which the promotional communication links.

“Although the majority of participants across studies said they noticed the CSL communication, few clicked the link to additional information about the product the first time they saw it,” the report says. “Participants were more likely to recognize the substantial risk information after the first viewing if the substantial risk information was included in the CSL communication itself. However, the findings from a second viewing, when participants’ attention was focused on the CSL communication due to the instructions they received, add a potential caveat: if people are explicitly looking for information about the drug by reading the CSL communication, they may be less likely to click a link for further risk information if there is a substantial risk included in the CSL communication.”