[Infowarrior] - Drug Ads Raise Legislators' Blood Pressure

[Richard Forno]

I'm all for investigation and the hopeful reduction of such ads that are
soley designed to get people to ask their doctor if DRUG$ "is right for you"
-- watching TV these days it's absurd the number of drug ads you see, and
the number of times you hear the litnany of side-effects they rattle
off........besides it's amusing how a drug to cure one male problem suddenly
gets marketed as a curative if you've got a ton of other common conditions
as well.....I say enough!   -- rf




Drug Ads Raise Legislators' Blood Pressure

http://www.prwatch.org/node/6886


The U.S. Congress is investigating "the pharmaceutical industry's use of
celebrity endorsements in direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertisements." First up
are ads for Pfizer's cholesterol drug Lipitor, which feature the inventor of
the artificial heart, Dr. Robert Jarvik. In the ads, Jarvik says, "Just
because I'm a doctor doesn't mean I don't worry about my cholesterol."
Representative John Dingell noted, "Dr. Jarvik appears to be giving medical
advice, but apparently, he has never obtained a license to practice or
prescribe medicine." Dingell is leading the investigation, along with
Representative Bart Stupak. The lawmakers are asking Pfizer for "all of its
records -- including contracts, e-mails and correspondence -- related to the
advertising campaign, as well as all records related to Jarvik's financial
association with the firm" and "materials detailing Jarvik's professional
qualifications, his own use of Lipitor, and Pfizer's rationale for featuring
him in the campaign." Other celebrity drug endorsers include former Senator
Bob Dole and athletes Magic Johnson and Cal Ripken.