• by Wayne Friedman , Yesterday

In response to what it says is “deceptive” pharmaceutical advertising, the Food and Drug Administration sent out “100 cease-and-desist letters” to brands -- a move that could have massive impact on pharma's $7 billion U.S. national TV advertising marketplace.

The FDA did not disclose specific details with regard to brand names or companies in these letters.

Over the last 12 months (from September 10, 2024 to September 9, 2025), national TV advertising spend grew 10% to $6.9 billion, according to estimates from EDO Ad EnGage.

The biggest pharmaceutical direct-to-consumer (DTC) prescription category -- rheumatology/musculoskeletal -- grew 14% to $1.4 billion during that period.

Major brands in this category include AbbVie’s Skyrizi ($437.8 million) and Tremfya ($377.7 million), a product from Janssen Pharmaceuticals (a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson).

The top three networks that benefit from this advertising are NBC ($203.1 million), ABC ($174.6 million) and CBS ($148.4 million).

The sharpest growth category -- weight management -- rose 154% to $681.4 million, driven by consumers' massive interest in and positive results from so-called GLP-1 medications.

This came from 161,210 national TV airings (down 3.3% from a year ago), but resulted in 60 billion impressions -- 23% higher than the previous 12-month period.

Major brands to advertise include Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy, at $479.3 million (the company also produces Ozempic) and Eli Lilly & Company’s Zepbound ($112 million).

The second-largest category -- psychiatry DTC medications -- was virtually flat at $832 million year-to-year. Brand leaders include Otsuka Pharmaceutical’s Rexulti ($299.7 million); AbbVie’s Vraylar ($146.1 million); and Johnson & Johnson’s Caplyta ($146.0 million).

Major TV networks also benefited here, with CBS pulling in $90.8 million in TV ad spend from this category; ABC ($77.4 million); and NBC ($62.1 million). Typically still large, linear TV networks skewing to an older audience, 60 years and older, pull in big TV advertising dollars from pharma brands.

In its release, the FDA said: “DTC advertising can distort the patient-clinician relationship and create increased demand for medications regardless of clinical appropriateness.”