'Wild West': Influencers Promote Drugs Without Disclosure

"Among 740 posts -- with a total of 57.5 million views -- that discussed GLP-1 agonists, attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder stimulants, or autoimmune biologics and were deemed relevant to FDA or Federal Trade Commission (FTC) oversight, undisclosed influencer promotion was present in at least 80.1% of them, reported Alex Kresovich, PhD, of the NORC at the University of Chicago, and colleagues."

"Kresovich and colleagues noted that unregulated online pharmaceutical marketing warrants scrutiny, especially amid new federal proposals to reform direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) -- including a push for full safety warnings in ads. "Unlike traditional DTCA, social media promotion is difficult to detect because the lines between authentic personal experience and undisclosed influencer marketing are ambiguous," the authors wrote. "Platform algorithms further complicate oversight by amplifying this content to receptive audiences.""

Among 740 high-engagement social media posts (57.5 million views) about GLP-1 agonists, ADHD stimulants, or autoimmune biologics and relevant to FDA or FTC oversight, undisclosed influencer promotion appeared in at least 80.1% of posts. Efficacy claims appeared in 69.1% of posts while risks or adverse effects were mentioned in 33.4%. Only 32.3% of posts that made efficacy claims also included risk information. Unregulated online pharmaceutical marketing complicates detection, blurs lines between personal experience and promotion, and is amplified by platform algorithms, undermining consumers' ability to make informed health decisions.

Read at Medpagetoday