Overview

• President Trump signed a memorandum directing HHS and the FDA to ensure transparency and accuracy in direct-to-consumer prescription drug advertising with fuller on-ad risk information.
• The FDA began immediate enforcement by sending about 100 cease-and-desist notices and thousands of warning letters after years of minimal action on misleading ads.
• The administration plans rulemaking to repeal the 1997 policy that allowed ads to reference external sources for side effects instead of listing them in full on screen.
• Regulators will extend scrutiny beyond television to social media platforms, paid influencers, and online pharmacies that promote drugs without required disclosures.
• The push aligns with the MAHA commission’s recommendations and stops short of an outright ban, as industry group PhRMA defends lawful DTC advertising as protected speech.