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12/19/2004: "When Advertising is Not a Good Thing."

Generally I believe in advertising. Why? Simply put, it works. Ah, fact is, in some cases it works too well.

Celebrex has been one of the most heavily promoted prescription drugs in advertising aimed at consumers. For the first nine months of this year, Pfizer spent almost $71.2 million on Celebrex, up about 55 percent from almost $46.1 million spent in the same period a year ago, according to data from the research firm TNS Media Intelligence/CMR. The effect of such advertising, many doctors say, was to drive the consumer demand for COX-2 drugs far beyond the bulk of those patients who really benefit from them.

Now Celebrex, like Vioxx before it, is being taken off the market for causing heart problems, possibly even heart attacks.

I think the drug companies make a mistake in advertising their drugs to the general public. We non-doctors do not understand drugs. No drug is totally safe. Even doctors very often give drugs when they should not. But to hoist them on the public through advertising campaigns which make them look safe and just great is not a good thing.

Drugs are not dog food, soap or sodas. Drugs have the ability to injure and kill. The ad industry can't take that lightly.