The second half of Day One was all about what the FDA is doing to help spread the message of safety/efficacy -- with a particular focus on the issue of "safe use" of drugs.
Solid presentations from all my old buddies -- Ellen Frank (Director of Public Affairs/CDER), Mary Hitch (Senior Policy Advisor, Office of the Commissioner), Cathy McDermott (Director, Public Affairs, ORA) and Karen Feibus (OND, CDER).
They all presented their terrific work. All the more so considering the shoe-string budgets under which they operate.
But what does any of this have to do with DTC and under-served communities?
Let's just say it's tangential.
But (and not surprisingly) it really caught the attention of the committee. Good conversations, lots of kudos, some good ideas about how the FDA could do a better job in leading the "safe use" conversation ... but at the end of the day, and as interesting and important as it is ... it's mission creep.
Danger, Will Robinson, danger.
Day One closed with "Committee Discussion." Some nutty. Some really useful.
Some examples:
* A lot of comments on how FDA could do a better job on it's own communications efforts and a general call for the agency to get/allot more money for FDA communications efforts.
* The need for the agency to create an "Office of Minority Health"similar to the FDA's existing Office of Women's Health (often referred to as the "WFDA"). Good idea.
* A "Critical Path" program for health care communications/health literacy that would include the FDA, academia, other government entities (i.e., the FTC) and industry.
Yes, industry.
A potential hornet's nest for all the obvious reasons (hello Representative DeLauro), but a nifty idea.
* And some really wacko comments such as that the FDA should pre-review television ads "after they have been produced." And my other favorite, that DDMAC should pre-review "media placements."
At the end of the day, the issue the committee was supposed to address -- how DTC impacts under-served communities (socio-economic, minority, elderly) was answered in three simple words ... not enough information.
Onwards to Day Two and a stimulating conversation on 800 numbers for television ads.
Solid presentations from all my old buddies -- Ellen Frank (Director of Public Affairs/CDER), Mary Hitch (Senior Policy Advisor, Office of the Commissioner), Cathy McDermott (Director, Public Affairs, ORA) and Karen Feibus (OND, CDER).
They all presented their terrific work. All the more so considering the shoe-string budgets under which they operate.
But what does any of this have to do with DTC and under-served communities?
Let's just say it's tangential.
But (and not surprisingly) it really caught the attention of the committee. Good conversations, lots of kudos, some good ideas about how the FDA could do a better job in leading the "safe use" conversation ... but at the end of the day, and as interesting and important as it is ... it's mission creep.
Danger, Will Robinson, danger.
Day One closed with "Committee Discussion." Some nutty. Some really useful.
Some examples:
* A lot of comments on how FDA could do a better job on it's own communications efforts and a general call for the agency to get/allot more money for FDA communications efforts.
* The need for the agency to create an "Office of Minority Health"similar to the FDA's existing Office of Women's Health (often referred to as the "WFDA"). Good idea.
* A "Critical Path" program for health care communications/health literacy that would include the FDA, academia, other government entities (i.e., the FTC) and industry.
Yes, industry.
A potential hornet's nest for all the obvious reasons (hello Representative DeLauro), but a nifty idea.
* And some really wacko comments such as that the FDA should pre-review television ads "after they have been produced." And my other favorite, that DDMAC should pre-review "media placements."
At the end of the day, the issue the committee was supposed to address -- how DTC impacts under-served communities (socio-economic, minority, elderly) was answered in three simple words ... not enough information.
Onwards to Day Two and a stimulating conversation on 800 numbers for television ads.
