Pharma Industry News
Printable Version   Email to a friend

Committee on Energy and Commerce Opens Investigation into Celebrity Drug Endorsements

WASHINGTON, Jan. 7, 2008 - Reps. John D. Dingell (D-MI), Chairman of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and Bart Stupak (D-MI), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, announced today that they are opening an investigation into the use of celebrity endorsements of prescription medications in direct-to-consumer advertising, specific to Dr. Robert Jarvik’s appearance in Pfizer’s Lipitor Commercials.

“We are concerned that consumers might be misled by Pfizer’s television ads for Lipitor starring Dr. Jarvik,” said Dingell. “In the ads, Dr. Jarvik appears to be giving medical advice, but apparently, he has never obtained a license to practice or prescribe medicine.”

“Dr. Jarvik’s appearance in the ads could influence consumers into taking the medical advice of someone who may not be licensed to practice medicine in the United States,” said Stupak. “Americans with heart disease should make medical decisions based on consultations with their doctors, not on paid advertisements during a commercial break.”

 
Contact: Jodi Seth or Brin Frazier, 202-225-5735

Latest Pharma Industry News...

Pharma Industry News Archive

2008: Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct
2007: Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec
2006: Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec
2005: Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec
2004: Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec
2003: Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec
2002: Jan | Apr | May | Jun | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec

More News Resources


MedNotes
Latest FDA Drug Alerts
October 7, 2008
Audience: Pulmonary care health professionals and patients[UPDATE 10/07/2008] FDA informed healthcare professionals that FDA has...
October 3, 2008
Audience: Healthcare professionals, consumers [Posted 10/03/2008] FDA notified healthcare professionals of a Class I Recall of...
October 2, 2008
Audience: Physical medicine and rehabilitation specialists, anesthesia healthcare professionals, hospital surgical service...
September 30, 2008
Audience: Neurologists, cardiologists, consumers[Posted 09/30/2008] An FDA analysis provides new evidence that the use of statins...
More...
Latest Drug Information Updates

AdreView
AdreView is a diagnostic radiopharmaceutical agent indicated for use in the detection of rare neuroendocrine tumors in children and adults.

Sancuso
Sancuso (granisetron transdermal system) is an anti-emetic transdermal delivery system indicated for the control of nausea and vomiting in patients receiving moderately and/or highly nausea-inducing chemotherapy.

Nplate
Nplate (romiplostim) is a thrombopoietin mimetic peptibody for the treatment of thrombocytopenia in adult patients with chronic immune (idiopathic) thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP).

Xenazine
Xenazine (tetrabenazine) is a selective and reversible centrally-acting dopamine depleting drug indicated for the treatment of chorea associated with Huntington's disease.

Cleviprex
Cleviprex is an intravenous, ultrashort-acting calcium channel blocker under development for the treatment of severely elevated blood pressure in the hospital setting when oral therapy is not feasible or desirable.

Stavzor
Stavzor is delayed-release valproic acid formulated in the EnteriCare enteric soft gelatin capsule delivery system designed to minimize GI adverse events. Stavzor is indicated for the treatment of manic episodes associated with bipolar disorder, adjunctive therapy in multiple seizure types (including epilepsy), and prophylaxis of migraine headaches.

Navstel
Navstel is a balanced salt ophthalmic solution for use as an intraocular irrigation during surgical procedures involving perfusion of the eye.

Eovist
Eovist (gadoxetate disodium) is a gadolinium-based contrast agent for intravenous use in T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the liver to detect and characterize lesions in adults with known or suspected focal liver disease.

Evolence
Evolence is a collagen-based structural dermal filler for the correction of moderate to deep facial wrinkles and folds, such as nasolabial folds.

Kinrix
Kinrix [Diphtheria and Tetanus Toxoids and Acellular Pertussis Adsorbed and Inactivated Poliovirus Vaccine] is a combination vaccine for protection against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis and polio diseases in children.

Durezol
Durezol (difluprednate ophthalmic emulsion) is a topical steroid for the treatment of postoperative ocular inflammation and pain.

PrandiMet
PrandiMet (repaglinide and metformin HCl) is a fixed-dose combination of the fast-acting secretagogue replaglinide (also known as Prandin) and insulin sensitizer, metformin, indicated for the treatment of type 2 diabetes.

Pentacel
Pentacel is a combination vaccine indicated for active immunization against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, poliomyelitis and invasive disease due to Haemophilus influenzae type b in children 6 weeks through 4 years of age.

Trivaris
Trivaris (triamcinolone acetonide) is a glucocorticoid corticosteroid delivered via intravitreal injection for the treatment of sympathetic ophthalmia, temporal arteritis, uveitis, and ocular inflammatory conditions unresponsive to topical corticosteroids.

Entereg
Entereg (alvimopan) is a peripherally-acting mu opioid receptor antagonist used to help patients regain gastrointestinal (GI) function earlier following bowel resection surgery.

More...