Same Image Polisher Has Worked for FDA and Big Pharma

That might explain a couple odd stories of earlier this year, like the pilot program of the “Fake commercials” being tested, but there has also been an attempt to increase awareness at YouTube with FDA material as well, perhaps to even encouraging a bit of humor as I found on this video on YouTube, which may or may not be official, but looks like it could be. BD

“The FDA intends to create several ads for the fictitious high blood pressure drug using different images and text on the screen while a narrator reads risk info.”

Turns out that the FDA and Big Pharma have more in common than we thought. They both tapped the same PR firm to improve their reputations.

Earlier this year the FDA hired Qorvis Communications, an influential PR group in Washington, to help mend the agency’s ailing image with a public awareness campaign. But since 2006 Qorvis has been working for PhRMA, Big Pharma’s principal trade group. Ooops.

PhRMA was surprised to find that out. Ken Johnson, a honcho there, told the WSJ’s Alicia Mundy that he wasn’t “aware that Qorvis had been doing work for the FDA. I would have expressed serious concerns.” As for the firm’s PhRMA work, Johnson said it was “only PR-101 outside Washington.”

Qorvis has worked on the FDA Web site, done media training for FDA Commissioner Andrew von Eschenbach and other officials and developed videos for online use, Goldberg said.

http://blogs.wsj.com/health/2008/10/03/same-image-polisher-has-worked-for-fda-and-big-pharma/