Lady Gaga Faces Backlash for Pfizer-Sponsored Migraine Drug Ad on Instagram

Pop star Lady Gaga has sparked controversy after sharing a promotional video for the migraine drug Nurtec ODT, sponsored by Pfizer, on her Instagram account.

The ad, which features Lady Gaga endorsing the Pfizer-backed medication, has raised eyebrows due to the restrictions around advertising prescription drugs to the public in the EU.

Although the post was captioned with a note that it is intended for US audiences only, the ad was visible to Lady Gaga’s 56.5 million Instagram followers, including millions of Europeans where such advertising is illegal.

European lawmakers, including Alexandra Geese of the Greens party, have raised concerns over the enforcement of EU digital regulations in light of this incident.

Commission Vice President Margrethe Vestager highlighted that while the EU’s new digital laws, the DSA and DMA, limit intervention until illegal content is reported, the enforcement heavily relies on user flagging.

An EU case officer indicated that the Pfizer ad potentially infringed on EU regulations and should have been geofenced to the US, prompting further investigation.

Despite concerns being raised and the ad being flagged as illegal, it remained visible in countries like Belgium, indicating a potential lapse in enforcement by Meta, Instagram’s parent company.