(September, 2025) President Donald Trump has signed a presidential memorandum ordering federal agencies, including the FDA, to enact tighter rules for direct-to-consumer (DTC) prescription drug advertising. The move aims to ensure that drug companies are fully transparent and honest in how they market medicines to the public, especially on TV, social media and online platforms.
Under the memorandum, the FDA is stepping up enforcement of existing regulations. Officials plan to send roughly 100 cease-and-desist letters and thousands of warning letters to companies deemed to have misleading or incomplete ads. One major target: advertisements that fail to include clear information on side effects and risks.
The administration also wants to revise what’s known as the “adequate provision” standard, a rule from 1997 that lets broadcasters give only limited risk disclosures while referring audiences elsewhere (like online) for full information. Trump and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. say that the loophole has allowed drugmakers to downplay risks in many ads.
Another emphasis: social media influencers and online pharmacies. Officials are concerned these channels have become sources of drug ads that don’t always follow the same rules, leaving consumers potentially vulnerable to misleading or incomplete information.
Advocates for stronger restrictions have applauded the move, while drug-industry supporters caution about First Amendment protections and the complexity of changing longstanding regulatory standards. Still, the message is clear: the administration wants pharma advertising to be more honest, more transparent and more accountable.