Sens. Dick Durbin and Mike Braun have introduced legislation to crack down on deceptive online promotions of prescription drugs by telehealth firms and social media influencers.
The bill, the Protecting Patients from Deceptive Drugs Online Act, would give the FDA the authority to issue warnings and impose fines on individuals and companies posting false or incomplete information about medications, The Wall Street Journal reported Sept. 13.
Current FDA regulations require drug advertisements from pharmaceutical companies to disclose side effects, but no requirements apply to telehealth firms and influencers who are not directly connected to drugmakers.
Under the proposed bill, the FDA could fine influencers and telehealth companies up to $250,000 for the first violation and $500,000 for subsequent violations within a three-year period. The legislation also would require drugmakers to disclose payments made to influencers, the report said.