• SKIP TO CONTENT
  • SKIP NAVIGATION
  • Patient Resources
    • COVID-19 Patient Resource Center
    • Clinical Trials
    • Search Clinical Trials
    • Patient Notification System
    • What is Clinical Research?
    • Volunteering for a Clinical Trial
    • Understanding Informed Consent
    • Useful Resources
    • FDA Approved Drugs
  • Professional Resources
    • Research Center Profiles
    • Clinical Trial Listings
    • Market Research
    • FDA Approved Drugs
    • Training Guides
    • Books
    • eLearning
    • Events
    • Newsletters
    • JobWatch
    • White Papers
    • SOPs
    • eCFR and Guidances
  • White Papers
  • Trial Listings
  • Advertise
  • COVID-19
  • iConnect
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Home » Recruiting Phone Calls Are Legal, FCC Clarifies

Recruiting Phone Calls Are Legal, FCC Clarifies

February 1, 2021

Calls made to a residential phone line for the purpose of seeking an individual’s participation in a clinical trial are exempt from the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) restricting prerecorded calls, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) says.

In a declaratory ruling issued on Jan. 15, the FCC’s Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau agreed with Acurian, a research organization that matches eligible people for trials, that such calls should be exempt from the TCPA because they were not made for a commercial purpose. Acurian filed a petition with the FCC in 2014.

The declaratory ruling indicated that the FCC was moved by the argument that drugs involved in trials have typically not received FDA approval and therefore are not products that can legally be marketed or sold and as such cannot be a “product or service” typically sold by telemarketers. The FCC also said it recognized the importance of trials, especially during the pandemic, adding that some consumers may welcome calls to participate in trials.

The FCC’s clarification took immediate effect.

Read the FCC’s declaratory ruling here: https://bit.ly/39o8eNm.

Upcoming Events

  • 28Jun

    Effective Root Cause Analysis and CAPA Investigations for the Life Sciences

  • 16Oct

    WCG MAGI's Clinical Research Hybrid Conference - 2022 West

Featured Products

  • Spreadsheet Validation: Tools and Techniques to Make Data in Excel Compliant

    Spreadsheet Validation: Tools and Techniques to Make Data in Excel Compliant

  • Surviving an FDA GCP Inspection

    Surviving an FDA GCP Inspection: Resources for Investigators, Sponsors, CROs and IRBs

Featured Stories

  • Protocol-360x240.png

    Avoid Deviations by Making Protocol Review a Team Effort

  • SelectionProcess-360x240.png

    Give Us a Voice: Sites Clamor for a Say on Vendor Selection

  • Convince-360x240.png

    Use Data and Details to Convince Site Leadership to Add Staff

  • AsktheExpertsBadge-360x240.png

    Ask the Experts: Listing Trial Staff and Others on the Statement of Investigator

Standard Operating Procedures for Risk-Based Monitoring of Clinical Trials

The information you need to adapt your monitoring plan to changing times.

Learn More Here
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Do Not Sell My Personal Information

Footer Logo

300 N. Washington St., Suite 200, Falls Church, VA 22046, USA

Phone 617.948.5100 – Toll free 866.219.3440

Copyright © 2022. All Rights Reserved. Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing