Pfizer pulls ads featuring artificial heart inventor
- From: rpautrey2 <rpautrey2@xxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 26 Feb 2008 09:35:52 -0800 (PST)
Pfizer pulls ads featuring artificial heart inventor
Inventor of artificial heart is not licensed to practice medicine
The Associated Press
updated 1:53 p.m. CT, Mon.,
Feb. 25, 2008
WASHINGTON - Pfizer Inc said on Monday it was voluntarily withdrawing
advertising for its Lipitor cholesterol drug featuring Dr. Robert
Jarvik, inventor of the Jarvik artificial heart, because its ads led
to "misimpressions."
The ads involving Jarvik had come under scrutiny following an
msnbc.com column written by NBC's Robert Bazell in March 2007. The
column recounted Jarvik's past failures and pointed out that while he
earned a medical degree, he didn't take an internship or practice
medicine.
In January, the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the U.S. House of
Representative began investigating celebrity endorsements of
prescription medicines.
Democratic lawmakers had voiced concern that Jarvik's qualifications
were misrepresented in widely seen television commercials touting the
blockbuster drug. They said he seemed to be dispensing medical advice
even though he is not a practicing physician.
On his Web site, Jarvik describes himself as a medical scientist who
has worked in the field of artificial hearts for 36 years and does not
practice clinical medicine or treat individual patients.
"The way in which we presented Dr. Jarvik in these ads has,
unfortunately, led to misimpressions and distractions from our primary
goal of encouraging patient and physician dialogue on the leading
cause of death in the world -- cardiovascular disease. We regret this,"
Ian Read, Pfizer's president of worldwide pharmaceutical operations,
said in a statement.
"Going forward, we commit to ensuring there is greater clarity in our
advertising regarding the presentation of spokespeople," Read said.
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press
URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23338842/
(c) 2008 MSNBC.com
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