Healthy Skepticism Library item: 605

Warning: This library includes all items relevant to health product marketing that we are aware of regardless of quality. Often we do not agree with all or part of the contents.

Publication type: Journal Article

Myers MG.
"Drug may have caused huge number of deaths": lessons learned during an encounter with The Fifth Estate.
CMAJ 1996 Sep 15; 155:(6):772-5

Abstract:

A recent television program raised questions about how the media deal with complex medical issues. In this case, concerns about the safety of nifedipine and other calcium-channel blockers became the subject of an investigative report for a television program, which alleged that many patients were dying because of these drugs. The program prompted numerous calls to family physicians by patients concerned about the safety of their antihypertensive medications. Cardiologist Martin Myers believes the scientific community should respond when it believes reporting on medical and scientific issues has been biased and inaccurate.

Keywords:
*analysis Canada conflict of interest calcium channel blockers safety & risk information hypertension relationship between medical profession and industry regulatory authorities ETHICAL ISSUES IN PROMOTION: LINKS BETWEEN HEALTH PROFESSIONALS AND INDUSTRY EVALUATION OF PROMOTION: DRUG SAFETY