One big way the Kardashians and Jenners make money is by promoting products and brands on social media. Most of the time, they do this without much controversy — it’s just something we’ve come to expect. But, did Kim Kardashian go too far with a recent post?
“OMG. Have you heard about this? As you guys know my #morningsickness has been pretty bad. I tried changing things about my lifestyle, like my diet, but nothing helped, so I talked to my doctor,” Kim said on Instagram this week. “He prescribed me #Diclegis, I felt a lot better and most importantly, it’s been studied and there was no increased risk to the baby.”
Although the current formulation is a Category A pregnancy medication — meaning there are no known risks to mother or baby — the medication doesn’t have a great history: It was first marketed at Bendectin more than 30 years ago, but was pulled from the market because of birth defect concerns. According to WebMD News, it was approved by the FDA and renamed Diclegis just two years ago.
“This drug should have never been taken off the market in the first place,” Dr. Keith Eddelman, director of obstetrics at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City, said in 2013. “It is not a controversial drug and the data is very convincing.”
Then there’s the question about how ethical it is for Kim to get paid to promote the product. Speaking to Page Six on Wednesday, Kim explained she’s only doing it with the best of intentions.
“[My morning sickness] was so bad I talked to my OBGYN, who prescribed me Diclegis and I felt so much better after starting treatment. Duchesnay [the manufacturer] connected with me after I’d been taking Diclegis for some time,” Kim said. “Since I had such good results, I wanted to work with Duchesnay to tell other pregnant women that Diclegis is a safe and effective option to treat morning sickness symptoms.”
By disclosing her partnership and advising people talk with their doctors, Kim is also in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s new rules about celebrity endorsements for medications.
