Follow the Science: How Big Pharma Misleads, Obscures, and Prevails

by Sharyl Attkisson

As a supposed safety measure, drug ads are required to clearly disclose some risks. Yet when it comes to commercials for vaccines, you’ll often see no mention of risks at all! The advertisements leave the false impression that there’s simply no possible downside. I decided to look into how vaccines managed to escape FDA rules that require risks to be disclosed. It turns out vaccine makers are exploiting a type of loophole, and the FDA allows it. Vaccine commercials fall under a conveniently created category the FDA calls “disease awareness ads.” In short, as long as the ads don’t mention a specific brand, such as Pfizer or Merck, they’re considered “educational” and don’t have to tell consumers about any risks. The justification given is that these ads aren’t really pushing a particular medicine. They’re just creating awareness about medical conditions. But critics say it’s a dangerous practice that allows drug companies to promote vaccines in a slanted fashion.