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Consultation of medicine using social media has become more widespread (Hilliard, 2012; Sullivan et al., 2016; Chambers, 2012). As huge number of netizen now browse health information online and especially social media platforms, discussion about wellbeing has become more interactive and vibrant (Robillard et al., 2013). Direct-to-consumer-advertisement (DTCA) of medicines is normally used, even-though it is hardly argued (Ventola, 2011; Tian, 2010). Specifically, the Social Media Promotion (SMP) of prescription drugs may be a cutting edge marketing opportunity (Gibson, 2014) which has recently been stated as "global health challenge" (Liang & Mackey, 2011). Social media especially Facebook has an impact on driving traffic to evidence-based continuing medical education options (Flynn et al., 2017; Fogel & Harzog, 2020). There is a lack of informative study on SMP of prescription drugs, given growing concerns about adverse effects (Greene, 2010; Southwell & Rupert, 2016; Charles-Smith, 2015). As 75% adults in US are using social media often (Duggan, 2015), it is important to consider use of social media for promotion of pharmaceutical drugs (Flanagin & Metzger, 2008; Liang & Mackey, 2011). This research aims to supplement our understanding of SMP on pharmaceutical drugs by exploring different variables present in social media platform and the relationships amongst them.
It is vital to track the kind of data prescription drug consumers are exposed to while exploring popular social media sites like Facebook. The extent of data available on Facebook on pharmaceutical drugs to patient and their close-ones has not been well reported. Given the potential for probable influence of this data to the netizen, this reflects an important knowledge gap. It is important to look at the prevailing arguments in this respect (Flanagin & Metzger, 2008). To develop clear understanding of the severity of these problems and how drug data on social media can be seriously compromised by the general public, we intend to determine the aspects of the data resulting from the search for the top medicines on Facebook. Some researchers have highlighted positive and negative aspects of social media promotion of pharmaceutical drugs. Mukherjee et al. (2019) and Lu et al. (2013) have pointed out that SMP helps to recognize the illness and the patient engagement in health choices; nonetheless SMP also exaggerates the benefits of pharmaceutical therapy over dangers, promotes self-medications and other dangers. In this respect, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) controls DTCA content, banning all mendacious or deceptive promotions (Ventola, C. L., 2011). The FDA, however, has been unsuccessful so far in providing meaningful direction on ways and means to measure DTCA’s adherence to the ethical norms (King et al., 2020; Carpentier, 2016; Tyrawski, & DeAndrea, 2015). Further regulatory bodies need product claim ads, naming the drug and the condition(s) it addresses, to provide a 'fair balance' of the advantages and risks in use of that medication (Tyrawski & DeAndrea, 2015). Online advertising operations, including SMP of pharmaceutical drugs currently hold a hyperbolic partner-share in the promotion of budgets by pharmaceutical firms and social media companies (Ventola, 2011; Gibson, 2014). Researchers in public health have identified the adverse effects that may result through SMP (Gibson, 2014; Liang & Mackey, 2011).