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A key element of US FDA’s mission is helping the American public get the accurate, science-based medical product information they need. The increase in Internet-driven technologies over the past 20 years has revolutionized communications, reshaping how the FDA, patients, consumers, and health care practitioners engage with one another. FDA is leveraging social media tools to reach diverse audiences, including under-represented communities, to enhance access to information about FDA-regulated medical products.

FDASIA Section 1138

In 2012, the Food and Drug Administration Safety and Innovation Act (FDASIA) strengthened the agency’s ability to safeguard and advance public health through communication by giving the agency authority for increased stakeholder involvement. Specifically, Section 1138 of FDASIA requires FDA to review, and modify as necessary, its communication plan for informing and educating health care practitioners and patients on benefits and risks of medical products.

In evaluating its communication plan, the agency was directed to survey health and disease information available from other US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) agencies and to examine best-practice strategies for communicating safety alerts, labeling changes, health advisories and other actions to be taken by health care providers or patients.

Section 1138 has a particular focus on reaching under-represented subpopulations, including racial subgroups. Thus, the agency was advised to account for the goals and principles of the HHS Strategic Plan to Reduce Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities when updating its communications strategy.

In response to requirements set forth in FDASIA Section 1138, the FDA’s Office of Minority Health led an agency-wide working group to assess current communication programs and further develop strategies and mechanisms to meet the requirements outlined in the legislation. FDA staff are now implementing new strategies to meet current challenges of communicating in general and effectively reach underserved populations.

Challenges and Opportunities

FDA manages complex regulatory issues that are scientific and technical, oftentimes with legal limits on disclosure. This presents a variety of challenges when sharing information with our stakeholders since we are routinely communicating toa wide variety of audiences (e.g., patients, consumers, the health care community, and researchers) with wide-ranging expectations, needs, and levels of health literacy.

Of particular concern is reaching populations with low health literacy, because these groups tend to experience more medication errors, lower rates of treatment compliance, and higher mortality. Additionally, populations with limited-English proficiency must have access to translated information that is culturally and linguistically appropriate.

The agency’s communication strategies are helping address these challenges. For example, in 2014 the agency released its Language Access Plan, an evolving comprehensive blueprint for outreach to people with limited English proficiency. We also partner with various non-profit organizations that are reaching out to these populations, including funding translations of their educational materials into other languages.

FDA’s webpage FDA en Español enhances access to agency communication materials available in Spanish. FDA also translates materials in various languages on an as needed basis, such as: Arabic, Portuguese, Chinese (simplified), Russian, French, German, Thai, Hindi, Vietnamese, Japanese, Tagalog (a Philippine language), Laotian (Lao), Cambodian, and Polish.

FDA is also furthering efforts to improve targeted outreach to consumers and health care practitioners serving under-represented populations. For example, the agency has a program entitled the [Patient Network], implemented to educate and involve patients more effectively in regulatory decisions related to medical products while also expanding and sustaining communications in diverse communities.

Other efforts include the development of public health education materials on multiple platforms, including on doctor’s office health networks in practice locations that reach diverse populations, and in online and print publications targeting racial and ethnic minorities. The agency has also increased its use of social media platforms to improve awareness of important safety information among underrepresented subpopulations and racial subgroups.

FDA's Use of Social Media

FDA shares a multitude of information via social media with the goal of providing a broad range of information to keep all segments of the public up-to-date with our regulatory activities. Stakeholders can access FDA announcements on: Facebook, Flicker, Pinterest, FDA Voice Blogs, Consumer Updates, Email Updates (listservs), Mobile Applications (Apps), other federal government and external sources, and Twitter.

FDA uses different social media platforms to target its outreach to various stakeholder groups. For example, our Twitter outreach is primarily for industry and health care practitioners. However, we invite anyone who is interested to follow us: @US_FDA; @FDAenEspanol; @FDAMedWatch; @FDARecalls; @FDA_Drug_Info; @FDAmedia; @FDAWomen; @FDAOMH. Our Facebook outreach is targeted mainly toward consumers and patients, and we find Flickr is useful for stakeholder groups as well.

Looking Ahead

FDASIA Section 1138 is enhancing the agency’s strategies to increase engagement with diverse populations. FDA’s use of social media is expanding the agency’s reach and improving access to important information about medical products. FDA is still working to enhance health literacy practices, and make the implementation of evidence-based communication strategies encompassing the practical application of formative research a standard practice. The agency is also beginning to dive into the realm of social media analytics to ensure our communications are reaching the right audience with the right message at the right time. These efforts are all in support of fostering public trust and confidence that every action the agency takes is in the interest of public health.

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This article originally appeared in the December 2015 Global Forum.