title: Is the information "fair and balanced" in direct-to-consumer prescription drug websites?
abstract: This study applies the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA's) "fair-balance disclosure" provision to examine the content of prescription drug websites, specifically focusing on the quantity and quality of risk information. The results show that even though most prescription drug websites provide both risk and benefit information, the two types of information are presented differently. This study suggests directions for regulators to consider in writing a more specific rule to ensure that information on prescription drug websites is balanced.
authors.affiliation: School of Journalism and Mass Communication, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, USA. jhuh@umn.edu
authors.forename: Jisu
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Huh
authors.forename: Brenda J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Cude
mesh_terms: D000329:Advertising / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000592:standards*; D003258:Consumer Behavior; D030881:Disclosure; D004345:Drug Industry / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000592:standards*; D004346:Drug Information Services / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000592:standards*; D011307:Drug Prescriptions; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D012306:Risk; D014481:United States; D014486:United States Food and Drug Administration