|
AIDS Healthcare Foundation Calls Ad Campaign Reckless and Irresponsible and
Urges Worlds Largest Pharmaceutical Company to Curb Direct to Consumer Drug
Advertising
LOS ANGELES, Dec. 30 /PRNewswire/ -- AIDS Healthcare Foundation, (AHF) the
nations largest AIDS group and a direct provider of HIV/AIDS medical care to
thousands of AIDS patients in the US, Africa, Central America and Asia, today
criticized Pfizer, Inc., the worlds largest pharmaceutical company, for
contributing to the spread of HIV/AIDS, and other sexually transmitted
diseases, by promoting unsafe sex in recent print advertisements for their
erectile dysfunction drug, Viagra. The full-page, color ad -- seen in "The
Wall Street Journal" over the past several days leading up to New Years Eve,
December 31st -- depicts a handsome, over-forty male grinning knowingly at the
camera with the tagline: "What are you doing New Years Eve?" The
advertisement also includes the following reminder: "Fact: Viagra can help
guys with all degrees of erectile dysfunction -- from mild to severe," an
implication that having a medical condition is not necessarily a prerequisite
to being prescribed the drug.
"It is an outrage that, by referencing the biggest party night of the
year, Pfizer would employ an advertising strategy that encourages the use of
Viagra as a party drug," said Michael Weinstein, President of AIDS
Healthcare Foundation. "Not only does sending this reckless message
contribute to the spread of sexually transmitted diseases, but it is also part
of a pattern of irresponsible Direct to Consumer advertising by the drug
industry. Ads for HIV/AIDS drugs often portray living with HIV to be as
simple as popping a pill and then its a day at the beach and there is another
side to the story that is simply not being told by the drug industry. We urge
Pfizer to not only pull these reckless ads that encourage the recreational use
of Viagra and but to make a pledge to curb all irresponsible Direct to
Consumer advertising -- a practice that is contributing to the spread of
disease and placing profit above peoples health."
Earlier this year, AHF stepped up its campaign to rein in out of control
drug advertising by sending letters to several pharmaceutical companies,
challenging them to pledge their commitment to limit Direct to Consumer
Advertising (DTCA), particularly of their HIV/AIDS treatments. In addition to
executives at Pfizer, Inc., recipients included officials at Bristol-Myers
Squibb (BMS), GlaxoSmithKline Pcs (GSK), and Merck. The letters, sent by AHF
President Michael Weinstein, asked them to sign on to The AIDS Education
Pledge and commit to limiting the marketing of HIV/AIDS drugs to educational
ads that do not direct consumers to a specific treatment. Having received no
response from any of the companies that were contacted, AHF the following
letter urging the drug companies to address pressing concerns about the
negative impacts that Direct to Consumer Advertising is having on skyrocketing
healthcare costs, patient care and public safety.
The full text of AIDS Healthcare Foundations follow-up letter to drug
companies sent earlier this year follows:
AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) is the nations largest specialized HIV
primary care provider, serving over 17,000 people living with HIV/AIDS.
With the mission to provide cutting-edge medicine and advocacy
regardless of ability to pay, we find that medicine and advocacy often
converge on the issues of drug pricing and marketing.
In a letter dated March 25, 2005, we voiced our concerns with
Direct to Consumer advertising and its effects on rising health care and
drug costs, specifically with AIDS-related products. It was
disappointing to receive neither support for our proposal of the AIDS
Education Pledge, nor even a response from your company regarding our
concerns. In light of continued pressure on the pharmaceutical industry
to rein in rising costs and to promote its products more responsibly, we
submit our concerns and recommendation once again, as your industry
works to develop a "code of conduct" for prescription drug advertising.
The sophistication of the virus that causes AIDS, which invades each
persons immune system differently, necessitates highly individualized
drug regimen. Appropriate treatment requires a thorough understanding
of the array of medications available and must be left in the hands of
specially trained providers in concert with their patients. Therefore,
AHF recommends that all marketing of products and treatment for HIV and
AIDS be limited to help-seeking advertisements, which serve to educate
consumers about the disease, inform them that treatment is available
without pushing a specific therapy, and then direct them to engage a
health care professional. AHF believes that in a climate of shrinking
resources and 40,000 new infections each year, the AIDS community must
focus on educating people in order to get them into treatment and break
the chain of infection.
There is a sense of mistrust from an increasingly anxious public that
must be seriously considered and addressed by the drug industry. In the
battle against the AIDS epidemic, there is no place for superfluous
marketing of life-saving treatment. AHF asks you to reinforce your
commitment to Americans living with HIV and AIDS by providing accurate
and appropriate information to enhance access to high quality AIDS
treatment and care.
Sincerely,
Michael Weinstein
AHF President
"When it comes to serving our own clients, AIDS Healthcare Foundation
believes that HIV/AIDS treatment decisions should be made by specially trained
physicians in conference with their patients without being influenced by
high-priced drug advertising campaigns," added AHFs Weinstein. "The safety
of the publics health is whats at stake in the regulation of all drug
advertising. Its simply too important an issue to be left up to the
multi-billion-dollar pharmaceutical industry."
|
|
