Would be nice if some of the advertising funds could go for more research and treatments for the needy....but  they do it because it works...BD  image

A kindly "doctor," Robert Jarvik, inventor of the artificial heart, tells viewers about the benefits of Lipitor, the cholesterol-lowering medication. The ubiquitous commercial, along with previous ads, helped make Lipitor the best-selling drug in the world, with almost $13 billion in sales in 2006.  A congressional subcommittee is investigating celebrity endorsements in direct-to-consumer drug ads, including Lipitor's ads featuring Robert Jarvik, inventor of the artificial heart.

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

The commercials are certainly successful — for every dollar spent on direct-to-consumer advertising, the median increase in sales was $2.20, according to a study of 64 drugs included in a 2006 Government Accountability Office report.

ABC News: Lipitor Ads Spark Congressional Probe

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