Healthy Skepticism Library item: 675

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

Horton R.
Bayer accused of disinformation
Lancet 1995; 346:891

Keywords:
*news story United States Bayer nifedipine endorsements direct mail disinformation EVALUATION OF PROMOTION: DIRECT MAIL PROMOTIONAL TECHNIQUES: ENDORSEMENTS

Notes:

Dr. Norman Kaplan wrote a letter in support of nifedipine at the request of a public relations firm representing Bayer that was mailed to United States physicians. Kaplan sought and received assurances that the letter would indicate that Bayer had paid for its distribution but no such acknowledgement appeared in any of the material mailed. Bayer said that Kaplan’s name had been omitted in error.