Healthy Skepticism Library item: 581

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

Wolfe S.
Drug advertisements and prescribing
Lancet 1997; 348:1452-1453

Keywords:
*letter to the editor United States FDA Food and Drug Administration quality of prescribing quality of information journal advertisements attitude toward promotion ATTITUDES REGARDING PROMOTION: HEALTH PROFESSIONALS EVALUATION OF PROMOTION: GENERAL QUALITY OF INFORMATION INFLUENCE OF PROMOTION: PRESCRIBING, DRUG USE REGULATION, CODES, GUIDELINES: DIRECT GOVERNMENT REGULATION

Notes:

Angel resorts to false and misleading statements. The criticisms of the Wilkes study (Michael S. Wilkes et al, Annals of Internal Medicine 1992;116:912-919) is valid and is backed up by other work. The Food and Drug Administration rarely reviews drug ads in advance, with the exception of when a drug is launched. The reply from Angel also omits any mention of the focal point of the commentary which is that advertising does promote inappropriate prescribing.