Jennifer Riley, Executive Director of Patients Come First PA, expressed concerns that misleading legal advertisements are causing confusion among patients and families in Montgomery County. She said that these ads lead some individuals to abandon prescribed therapies and undermine trust in local physicians. Riley’s comments were made in an op-ed.
“Legal advertising by plaintiff lawyers and mass-tort firms has become one of the most pervasive and least regulated forces in consumer media,” said Riley. “In Montgomery County, a parent might watch a social media video implying a link between ADHD medication and irreversible harm and decide, on the spot, to end their child’s therapy. Physicians increasingly report that patients arrive in their offices armed with screenshots of legal ads and demand explanations for risks that have been exaggerated or completely misrepresented, eroding the trust that sustains the doctor-patient relationship.”
Legal advertising saw significant growth following the 1977 Supreme Court case Bates v. State Bar of Arizona, which affirmed lawyers’ First Amendment right to advertise their services. Since this ruling, oversight has been primarily managed by state bar associations, resulting in inconsistencies in how legal ads are monitored across different states. The American Bar Association continues to advocate for uniform national standards to ensure truthful legal communication.
According to the American Tort Reform Association, Pennsylvania is one of the most saturated markets for legal advertising in the United States. In 2023, law firms spent over $160 million on TV, radio, and digital ads, many of which warned about prescription drugs and medical devices. Physicians have reported that such messages often cause patients to question safe treatments approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or even discontinue care altogether.
In 2025, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration initiated a national effort to address deceptive drug advertising practices. This initiative aims to ensure that patients receive accurate and balanced information about medications. The FDA announced plans for expanded oversight of direct-to-consumer promotions and issued warning letters to companies that omit or misrepresent risk information. This effort highlights the disparity between federal scrutiny of pharmaceutical ads and the largely unregulated nature of legal advertising.
Riley leads Patients Come First PA, a nonprofit advocacy organization focused on ensuring access to innovative, evidence-based healthcare for Pennsylvanians. She spearheads statewide education initiatives on medication adherence and consumer transparency while collaborating with medical professionals to combat misinformation and promote patient safety within local communities.
