U.S. Senator Dick Durbin has raised concerns regarding the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) capacity to regulate pharmaceutical advertising following significant staff reductions in the FDA's Office of Prescription Drug Promotion. Durbin questioned FDA Commissioner Robert Califf about who is currently responsible for overseeing drug advertisements and how the agency plans to enforce regulations amid these workforce cuts. The issue has drawn attention amid broader criticism of direct-to-consumer (DTC) drug advertisements, which some officials and lawmakers argue are misleading and flood American media. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and FDA leadership have stated their commitment to ensuring that drug advertising presents a complete and accurate picture, but the reduction in oversight personnel has raised doubts about effective enforcement. Meanwhile, there are ongoing debates about drug approval standards, with some experts warning that lowering preapproval effectiveness requirements could jeopardize patient safety and public health.