Subtle Lies in Drug Advertising

I just happened to see this commercial on T.V. today for an osteoporosis drug being plugged by The Flying Nun. I have to say, it got me a little PO'd. Here's why: The opening line is a blatant distortion of the truth, and with a little investigation, one will find that Ms. Sally Field isn't being exactly honest about her story, either. But, distortions are precisely what these commercials are geared for...to sell more drugs.

"I always thought calcium and vitamin D and exercise would keep my bones healthy, but I got osteoporosis anyway, so my doctor started me on once a month Boniva...," is how the piece begins. Hmm. As far as I was taught, that's exactly what women must do to prevent osteoporosis. Was there something I missed in doctor school? Let me do some fact checking, I thought.

Sally Field, also known as Norma Rae, was diagnosed with osteoporosis in 2005. She was, according to her own accounts, a regular exerciser. But did she really keep up with the nutritional requirements necessary to prevent the bone-thinning disease? Not according to this article on WebMD, which discloses that her vitamin D levels were, in fact, LOW!!! Thank you, I thought so.

When I saw the commercial, the first thing coming to mind was that people who don't know better are going to think that their current preventive routine of good diet and exercise isn't enough. And in truth, if you are missing a step--women or men--you aren't doing enough. You must take daily calcium (1,000 mg for women under 50, and 1,200 mg thereafter), daily vitamin D (1,000 mg) and do weight bearing exercises regularly (so cardio alone is not enough, ladies). Asian and Caucasian women are at the highest risk, but don't be fooled my African American and Hispanic sisters, you can get osteoporosis, too.

Pharmaceutical companies want you to question what you're doing currently, so that you'll go ask your doctor if you need Boniva (way too many people asking their doctors for drugs by name these days). That leads to the greatest amount of drug sales. It's called DTC (direct-to-consumer) marketing, and we know it works. Pharmaceutical sales have skyrocketed since the practice started. From Source Watch:

A November 2006 report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office report noted that "studies we reviewed found that increases in DTC advertising have contributed to overall increases in spending on both the advertised drug itself and on other drugs that treat the same conditions. For example, one study of 64 drugs found a median increase in sales of $2.20 for every $1 spent on DTC advertising. Consumer surveys suggest that DTC advertising increases utilization of drugs by prompting some consumers to request the advertised drugs from their physicians, who studies find are generally responsive to these requests. The surveys we reviewed found that between 2 and 7 percent of consumers who saw DTC advertising requested and ultimately received a prescription for the advertised drug."

And the use of celebrities, and now celebrity doctors, increases the likelihood that consumers pay attention to a drug campaign; thus the use of Gidget in GlaxoSmithKline's Boniva commercials.

Now you might say, "Isn't DTC better for public health, to become better aware of illnesses and to catch them early?" To that I'd say, "Catching illness early is always better than catching it late, but prevention is even better. And best of all is living a lifestyle that promotes and maintains good health. That is done by getting proper nutrition, hydration, rest, exercise and bodywork, not by taking drugs."

Taking drugs is useful as a last line of defense. But the pharmaceutical industry, and let's face it, the entire medical paradigm, pushes drug use as a first line of defense. Oh, they'll pay lip service to healthy behaviors, but that's all they're doing. Nobody is paying Jack LaLane big bucks to sell gym memberships (yes, I know, but the juicers are his).

So I appreciate Nora Walker's dedication to fighting osteoporosis. But being dishonest about her experience to make the story sound better and get people to ask their doctors about Boniva, a post-menopausal osteoporosis drug, isn't helping the public health at all. It's simply perpetuating an already faulty paradigm that has people trying to maintain their health from the outside in, instead of the inside out, the way it's supposed to be.

Celebrity Hard Sell

Here we go again: Celebrities being used to sell pharmaceuticals to a trusting public. Ah, always trust a celebrity, that's this country's motto. Oprah, Ellen, Magic, Omarosa--the celeb matters not; famous name, the product must be good. Well this time a drug maker has gotten scolded. Bad drug maker, bad--now go to your room.

According to a recent report, Abbot Laboratories, makers of a new HIV drug have been using Laker's legend, Earvin "Magic" Johnson, in their promotional DVD for the drug, Kaletra. The U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has sent a warning letter to the pharmaceutical company ordering them to cease dissemination of what they label as "misleading information."

The FDA states that the DVD provides only anecdotal information (personal account) on Magic Johnson's personal experience with the drug, and offers no substantial evidence. They also go on to say that the DVD is misleading in that it presents Kaletra as "safer and more effective than has been demonstrated by substantial evidence or substantial clinical experience, and encourage use in circumstances other than those for which the drug has been shown to be safe and effective."

Tsk, tsk, tsk...the folly of it all. Listen, drug companies know that the American public worships celebrity. So they know that attaching a big name to their product will increase sales substantially. Good job by the FDA for catching this bunkum. And damn Magic, stick to NBA analysis (awright, throw in a little Fatburger)--don't go selling your soul, man. If that drug doesn't turn out to be what Abbot Labs is claiming in their propaganda, or even worse, if it turns out bad, then you're in the doghouse. Why bother? I know in today's world, it must be the money (sung in my best Deion Sanders), but I'm certain that doing one's due diligence on a product one is to endorse is the wisest approach.

Anyway, the DVD has been pulled, and Abbot Labs has been ordered to come up with a "comprehensive plan of action to disseminate truthful, non-misleading, and complete corrective messages about the issues discussed in this letter to the audiences that received the violative promotional materials." And they've got only until July 28, 2009 to do it. I think they should get Larry Bird in on that one. What do you think?

The New Wellness Industry--Good Health or Great Marketing?

This month on the Dr. Nick Show (Episode 6) I discuss the boom in the wellness industry. Wellness as a concept--and as a way of life--is a good thing right? Yes, of course, but you've got to watch out for for the snake oil salesmen or the pretenders. Listen to this month's episode for a better idea of where they're trying to get you--and it may not be wellness at all; just a good ol' jump on the bandwagon.

Here is a quick list of celebrities who are attaching themselves to the wellness industry:

A well-known television psych dabbling in the weight-loss game.

A mega-millionaire motivational guru who pushes all wellness, all the time.

A convicted conman whose made millions with the best selling health book of all time.

A former prime-time diva whose now pushing anti-aging and HRT.

Hey, maybe this stuff is your thing. Cool! Just beware. The term wellness increases the price tag significantly, so buyer beware.

Here are a few celebrity-endorsed products I'm waiting for:

• 50 Cent's 9 Bullets Liquid Diet.
• Lindsey Lohan's Hollywood Diet....snorrrt!
• Roger Clemens' Three Shots in the Ass (but thought it was B12) Workout.
• Eddie Murphy's new book on sexual wellness: Screw Anything that Moves.

Now that I'd like to see.

Are Chiropractors Real Doctors?

In the latest episode of The Dr. Nick Show (Episode 5) we discussed the question: Are chiropractors real doctors? Consider these knocks against my esteemed profession:

• Not Educated--Chiropractors complete 4485 hours of study, MDs 4248. Chiropractors get more anatomy, neurology, diagnosis, x-ray, and orthopedics. Medical doctors, on the other hand, get no chiropractic training at all. Hmmm. See the full academic curriculum at my chiropractic alma mater.
• Quacks--A quack is a person who pretends, professionally or publicly, to skill, knowledge, or qualifications he or she does not possess--sounds like those Dr 90210 boys.
  
• Shamelessly sell themselves--Uh huh. And what's this? Or this? Or this? Hey, I got nothing against shameless selling--wanna buy a book?
  
• Not Recognized--Chiropractors are not recognized by any worthwhile institution outside of the Supreme Court, the federal government, state governments, Medicare, the Veteran Administration, and most insurance companies--
  
• Not Prestigious--Chiropractors practice all over the world, and treat people from all walks of life including professional athletes, attorneys, auto mechanics, bankers, celebrities, doctors, farmers, mothers, psychologists, and on and on and on....
  
• Just Not Real Doctors--doctor in Latin means teacher. Chiropractors have historically been the quintessential teachers of health and wellness, so chiropractors are literally doctors. If any other health care professional treats but does not teach, then perhaps they might need to reconsider the title.
  

So there you have it. If you still think that chiropractors aren't real doctors...well, you're certainly entitled to your opinion; however, let me be the first to tell you that the world is not flat, it does revolve around the sun, women can vote, and that club you're carrying went out of style millennia ago. Unghhhh!!!