Pharma-ville
To be fair, both Yahoo and Google seem to be trying out various methods that would still provide consumers with the relevant and pertinent details about the drug they're thinking of ordering, including the risks and side effects.
Yahoo's solution seems to be a new type of ad with an extra link to more detailed drug information, whilst Google's attempt is similar, with ads showing a short summary of drugs risks, followed by a link to full prescribing information.
But the drug lobby, the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers Association, would rather the FDA simply stick a little logo of approval on ads, which when clicked on would take users to more detailed information. This would pave the way for drug sellers to abbreviate the text of their ads such that they could even send them out over sites like Twitter.
However, there is one saving grace, in that even if the FDA does side with the drug pushers, bureaucracy moves slowly and new regulations would be unlikely to come out before 2011 when web advertising may have completely changed.
Now doesn't that make you feel so much better?
