When you tune in to a television talk show you expect to see celebrities pitching their latest movie, book or TV show. What you may not expect is that a celebrity might casually plug a product without mentioning that, oh by the way, they've received payment in return for their pitch.
But that's exactly what's going on quite frequently these days. And guess what they're pitching? You get bonus points if you said, "prescription drugs."
Yesterday I picked up the New York Times to find an article revealing this clever, albeit shocking, new advertising scheme that drug companies have dreamed up. Among those who are playing the parts of celebrities with helpful medical advice are Lauren Bacall, Kathleen Turner and Rob Lowe, to name a few.
When Lauren Bacall was recently interviewed by Matt Lauer on the Today show, she shared a story about a friend who was blinded by macular degeneration. Pointing out that the disease can strike quickly and unexpectedly, Bacall suggested that viewers see their doctors to get tested for this disease which can be treated with a drug called Visudyne.
It's a perfect pitch: state the health problem, instill a little motivating fear, suggest an action to take, then name the miracle remedy to ask for.
What Bacall didn't tell viewers is that she received a payment from Novartis, the maker of Visudyne, to tell this story. And, according to the article, Matt Lauer and others at NBC were aware of the payment, but they never informed viewers either.
Dr. Joseph Turow, a communications professor at the University of Pennsylvania, feels that this sort of subtle pitch is at best "problematic," and at worst, unethical. He told the New York Times, "When it comes to issues of health, particularly medicines, transparency is an ethical concern. People should be clear about the reasons they are making certain recommendations."
But sometimes actors are not recommending a drug. Rather, they're "raising awareness" of a disease or a disorder that is - surprise! - commonly treated with a prescription drug.
Actor Noah Wyle, who plays the part of Dr. John Carter on the NBC hospital drama "ER," appeared twice on the Today show to help raise awareness of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In both cases it was made clear that he was being paid by Pfizer, the sponsor of the PTSD campaign. The resulting interviews (again, with Matt Lauer) were unintentionally hilarious, with Lauer asking Wyle health-related questions as if he were a doctor, instead of someone who makes a living by pretending to be a doctor.
At no point in either interview was any mention made of the antidepressant drug that's widely prescribed to treat PTSD: Zoloft, which is produced by Pfizer. So Wyle wasn't selling the drug, he was selling the disorder. It's as if Pfizer was saying, "You just get them into the doctor's office, Noah. We'll take care of the drug sale."
Selling the disorder is a booming business in Hollywood. There are already a number of agencies that specialize in manufacturing health-related "education" campaigns, matching movie stars with drug companies. The star gets a lucrative endorsement deal with the appealing cache of being associated with a campaign to bring hope to the afflicted. The agency gets their slice of the deal, of course. And the drug company gets a famous and trustworthy, smiling face who delivers the "awareness" message: "You might have this problem. Go see your doctor. He has a prescription drug for it."
Lauren Bacall and Noah Wyle may be very sincere individuals who dedicate themselves tirelessly to assist those with macular degeneration and PTSD. But I'm guessing that's probably not the case. It's more likely that they've been persuaded by managers and agents to make some hay out of their fame and trade their public images for an easy payday.
It's a numbers game. If the drug companies fill doctors' waiting rooms with patients responding to "awareness campaigns," they have more chances to sell more drugs. Are the patients being served? For the pharmaceutical giants, that would seem to be an afterthought. With the billions they spend on advertising and endorsement deals with celebrities, they're forced into a bottom line mentality that focuses on two goals: prescribe, and, whenever possible, overprescribe.
There's a fine line between being reasonably cautious about your health, and being hypercautious. Hypercaution, dressed up with the glamour of movie stars, seems to be what the drug companies are aiming for.
To Your Good Health,
Jenny Thompson
Health Sciences Institute
Sources:
"Heartfelt Advice, Hefty Fees" New York Times, 8/11/02
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