ISI OR TMI? BALANCING SAFETY AND UX IN PHARMA’S DIGITAL FUTURE
By Jen Scarano, Posted
The FDA’s recent crackdown on deceptive direct-to-consumer (DTC) pharmaceutical advertising has put Important Safety Information (ISI) front and center in digital experiences. While ensuring fair balance is non-negotiable, it’s worth asking: what does this mean for user experience in 2025 and beyond?
For those of us who remember the early 2000s, the parallels are striking. Back then, every website visit felt like battling through a carnival of pop-ups — “You’re a winner, claim your prize!” … “Your computer is infected!” The result? Users learned to ignore, close, and distrust. Fast-forward to today, and we’re already seeing this pattern with cookie policy modals. Once intended to foster transparency, they’ve quickly joined the category of “banner blindness” — users click whatever gets them past the screen fastest.
Now, imagine adding a 50% wall of ISI to the modern pharma website experience.
While legally compliant, it risks creating an environment where patients and providers feel pummeled before they’ve even had a chance to engage. It’s the equivalent of inviting someone into your home, only to rough them up at the front door. Not exactly the warm welcome we want for someone seeking potentially life-changing information.
The challenge is clear.
How do we entice users to explore rich, meaningful content and graphics when the first impression feels obstructive? The answer lies in design innovation, grounded in user experience testing. By listening to how real patients and healthcare providers navigate these new ISI-heavy environments, we can uncover ways to integrate fair balance without overwhelming.
It’s also worth noting the broader cultural backdrop.
In the wake of the current administration’s health movement, users are increasingly skeptical of brands that don’t feel authentic or transparent about safety and side effects. Ironically, the very burden of ISI could become a strength if executed with empathy. A brand that manages to present safety information in a clear, accessible, and user-first way won’t just comply with FDA guidelines — it will build trust.
The bottom line
ISI doesn’t have to mean user-hostile design. It’s an opportunity for pharma to rethink the digital welcome mat, ensuring fair balance not only satisfies regulators but also strengthens patient confidence and connection.
