The Vernacular of Risk — Rethinking Direct-to-Consumer Advertising of Pharmaceuticals

Aside from New Zealand, the United States is the only country with a strong pharmaceutical regulatory infrastructure that allows direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) of prescription drugs. That may soon change, however, as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) moves to enact new regulations regarding risk communication in DTCA. A commentary in the New England Journal of Medicine explores this issue.