For those seeking clear suggestions on how the pharma industry can engage in social media channels, reading the FDA's recent and quietly issued Guidance for Industry Responding to Unsolicited Requests for Off-Label Information about Prescription Drugs and Medical Devices was like searching for a needle in a haystack. Still, this cautious approach may be the best thing in the long run because it stresses enforcing the message, not the medium.

Many hoped this would be the clear, step-by-step social media ...