Consumers Union outrage over DTC ad "targeting children"

The Consumers Union, a leading campaigning organization that is opposed to direct-to-consumer advertising (Marketletters passim), has urged both the US Congress and the Food and Drug Administration to review DTC advertising legislation, after revealing that the federal agency took six months to ask a drug firm to cease airing controversial advertisements.

The message included in the television advertisements concerned Japan-based drugmaker Takeda's sleeping tablets Rozerem (ramelteon). The CU claims that the product was marketed for children, whereas the drug is not FDA-approved for pediatric use.

Bill Vaughn, the CU's senior policy analyst, said: "the advertisement to children going 'back to school' is outrageous and we urge the FDA take stronger and more timely actions in cases such as this."