Pfizer has finally caved to pressure and will pull the Dr. Jarvik Lipitor ads.
The Lipitor ads have been resoundingly criticized by opponents of DTC advertising. The main reason has been that Dr. Jarvik, although a graduate of medical school, has focused on research and is not a licensed physician. Then it was revealed that the ads were deceptive because Dr. Jarvik doesn’t row, despite a body double depicted in the ads is rowing on a lake. Then Jarvik was accused of being a non-runner, despite being depicted running. And perhaps the most controversial attack by the anti-DTC crowd is an e-mail campaign hinting that Jarvik had no role in developing the Jarvik-7 artificial heart which bears his name.
Pfizer’s willingness to cave to anti-DTC foes could signal even more radical transformations ahead. I have suspected that at least one pharma company would back-off DTC completely in the next year to 18 months.
