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FDA Targeting Drug Pages on Facebook

by Terrence O'Brien on August 10, 2010 at 07:30 AM

Novartis on Facebook
Drug maker Novartis recently found itself on the receiving end of a tongue lashing from the FDA for misusing the Facebook share widget on its website. The company used the widget to promote its leukemia drug Tasigna, but, unlike traditional advertising would, the Facebook promotion "fails to communicate any risk information associated with [its] use." All marketing materials for drugs are required to list potential side effects, but such alerts are missing from the content shared via the Facebook widget. According to the FDA, even promotional materials on social networks must abide by these regulations. With Facebook fan pages becoming an important tool for online branding, addressing the contentious issue of marketing meds is an increasingly pressing priority. Novartis has taken down the share widget while it continues discussions with the FDA. We don't expect that "sharing" drugs on Facebook is going to escape serious limitations any longer. [From: Tech Daily Dose, via: Hillicon Alley]

Tags: advertising, facebook, fda, FoodAndDrugAdministration, marketing, novartis, pharmaceuticals, prescriptiondrugs, SocialMarketing, socialnetworking, top

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