.:HSTuners::

ebpda9 · 12-09-2002, 11:05 AM

Dec. 8 — Some pharmaceutical companies are using misleading ads to market prescription drugs, a stinging report from the U.S. General Accounting Office has found.

The report shows that even after some companies have been cited for violations, they continue the practice.
Last year, pharmaceutical companies spent more than $2.7 billion on advertising aimed at consumers, and the report shows that it was money well spent since patients requested and received prescriptions based upon their viewing of a specific ad.

The government says that ads with deceptive images — such as an ad for the arthritis drug Celebrex that depicts an elderly woman rowing a boat and riding a scooter — often exaggerate the benefits patients can expect from a medication.

In sum, the government report indicated that since 1997, the Food and Drug Administration has issued 88 letters to drug companies complaining of advertising violations.

"The violations have to do with companies overstating the benefits of their drugs, failing to adequately tell people about the risks and not balancing the good news with the bad news about the drug," said Dr. Sidney Wolfe of Public Citizen Health Research.

Repeat Offenders

Some companies are repeat offenders. In 1999 and 2000, the FDA wrote four letters to the GlaxoSmith Kline pharmaceutical company complaining about ads for its allergy drug Flonase.

The FDA said Flonase commercials made unsubstantiated claims that the drug could treat post-nasal drip.

The administration also filed complaints with Pfizer about its Lipitor ads because they falsely suggested the drug was "safer" than other cholesterol-lowering medications.

In response, Pfizer said it "immediately withdrew the ad and made the minor revisions necessary to meet the FDA's concerns."

"The FDA doesn't have the power to punish the company," said Dr. Arnold Relman of the Harvard Medical School. "All it can do is require cessation of that particular ad. Companies can then run another ad."

The ads in questions are often only scheduled to run for a month or two. By the time the FDA sends a violation notice, the pharmaceutical company may have already pulled the ad — after millions of Americans have seen it.

The result, some doctors say, is that some patients may be requesting drugs they do not need and drugs that may even do them harm.

article found >>here<<

12-09-2002, 11:24 AM

We must get news sooner up here. I wrote a paper on this very topic 2 months back.

Basically the companies that are to be looking out for our health are just trying to earn the next $$ by over medicating.

Accord Man · 12-09-2002, 09:41 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by mt.biker
We must get news sooner up here. I wrote a paper on this very topic 2 months back.

Basically the companies that are to be looking out for our health are just trying to earn the next $$ by over medicating.

umm, thanks for having shared the info 2 months ago..

DsBlu01CivEX · 12-09-2002, 09:55 PM

I knew I hated all those ads for a reason....the genital herpes ones always crack me up...

12-09-2002, 10:01 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by DsBlu01CivEX
I knew I hated all those ads for a reason....the genital herpes ones always crack me up...

your twisted

nonovurbizniz · 12-10-2002, 12:33 PM

It's called advertising... is pepsi's ad line "almost as good as coke"... no that wouldn't sell many pepsi's

as far as Rx co's being held to a higher standard that's bs. No matter what commercial you see you have to go to a DOCTOR to get any of these drugs... if he gives you something you shouldn't have then it's his fault not the commercials.

If you want something to complain about Rx co's then how about the restrictions on generic drug companys supplying cheaper versions of the same drug to low-income americans and impoverished foreign contries.

AIDS is rampant in africa and all the companies that hold exclusivity rights on aids drugs refuse to make them available to those who need them most.. so magic johnson gets to walk around like superman while millions die everyday from a desease that has been all but elliminated from the rich.

OR you could complain about the fact that the fda approves all sorts of drugs and recomend them knowing that proper long term test have either not been completed or show HUGELY harmful effects after long term use.

Know why they switch anti-depressants so much on patients... because the majority of anti depressents cause SERIOUS long term problems like Seizures. liver failure. and a host of far more serious mental illness' than depression. like good old schizophrenia.

If these drug companies didn't make money on the drugs they've made they won't be able to fund new research to make new drugs that will eventually help others.

Ya it sucks ya advertising is a little over the top when it comes to "subjective" "deseases" like mental illness.

but...that's life and that's america.

12-09-2002, 11:05 AM	#1
ebpda9 Repost Wagon Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: over here Age: 44 Posts: 17,266	Misled About Medicine Dec. 8 — Some pharmaceutical companies are using misleading ads to market prescription drugs, a stinging report from the U.S. General Accounting Office has found. The report shows that even after some companies have been cited for violations, they continue the practice. Last year, pharmaceutical companies spent more than $2.7 billion on advertising aimed at consumers, and the report shows that it was money well spent since patients requested and received prescriptions based upon their viewing of a specific ad. The government says that ads with deceptive images — such as an ad for the arthritis drug Celebrex that depicts an elderly woman rowing a boat and riding a scooter — often exaggerate the benefits patients can expect from a medication. In sum, the government report indicated that since 1997, the Food and Drug Administration has issued 88 letters to drug companies complaining of advertising violations. "The violations have to do with companies overstating the benefits of their drugs, failing to adequately tell people about the risks and not balancing the good news with the bad news about the drug," said Dr. Sidney Wolfe of Public Citizen Health Research. Repeat Offenders Some companies are repeat offenders. In 1999 and 2000, the FDA wrote four letters to the GlaxoSmith Kline pharmaceutical company complaining about ads for its allergy drug Flonase. The FDA said Flonase commercials made unsubstantiated claims that the drug could treat post-nasal drip. The administration also filed complaints with Pfizer about its Lipitor ads because they falsely suggested the drug was "safer" than other cholesterol-lowering medications. In response, Pfizer said it "immediately withdrew the ad and made the minor revisions necessary to meet the FDA's concerns." "The FDA doesn't have the power to punish the company," said Dr. Arnold Relman of the Harvard Medical School. "All it can do is require cessation of that particular ad. Companies can then run another ad." The ads in questions are often only scheduled to run for a month or two. By the time the FDA sends a violation notice, the pharmaceutical company may have already pulled the ad — after millions of Americans have seen it. The result, some doctors say, is that some patients may be requesting drugs they do not need and drugs that may even do them harm. article found >>here<<

12-09-2002, 09:55 PM	#4
DsBlu01CivEX Registered User Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: York Age: 44 Posts: 2,542	I knew I hated all those ads for a reason....the genital herpes ones always crack me up... __________________ "Oh, I have a goal. And it's to have no goals at all." http://www.myspace.com/kenike

12-10-2002, 12:33 PM	#6
nonovurbizniz Registered User Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: ECUSA Age: 48 Posts: 2,693	It's called advertising... is pepsi's ad line "almost as good as coke"... no that wouldn't sell many pepsi's as far as Rx co's being held to a higher standard that's bs. No matter what commercial you see you have to go to a DOCTOR to get any of these drugs... if he gives you something you shouldn't have then it's his fault not the commercials. If you want something to complain about Rx co's then how about the restrictions on generic drug companys supplying cheaper versions of the same drug to low-income americans and impoverished foreign contries. AIDS is rampant in africa and all the companies that hold exclusivity rights on aids drugs refuse to make them available to those who need them most.. so magic johnson gets to walk around like superman while millions die everyday from a desease that has been all but elliminated from the rich. OR you could complain about the fact that the fda approves all sorts of drugs and recomend them knowing that proper long term test have either not been completed or show HUGELY harmful effects after long term use. Know why they switch anti-depressants so much on patients... because the majority of anti depressents cause SERIOUS long term problems like Seizures. liver failure. and a host of far more serious mental illness' than depression. like good old schizophrenia. If these drug companies didn't make money on the drugs they've made they won't be able to fund new research to make new drugs that will eventually help others. Ya it sucks ya advertising is a little over the top when it comes to "subjective" "deseases" like mental illness. but...that's life and that's america. __________________ I am an A$$hole... take anything I say to heart at YOUR OWN RISK...

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12-09-2002, 11:24 AM	#2
mt.biker Posts: n/a	We must get news sooner up here. I wrote a paper on this very topic 2 months back. Basically the companies that are to be looking out for our health are just trying to earn the next $$ by over medicating.