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RESEARCH: Michael R Law, Sumit R Majumdar, and Stephen B Soumerai Effect of illicit direct to consumer advertising on use of etanercept, mometasone, and tegaserod in Canada: controlled longitudinal study BMJ 2008; 337: a1055 [Abstract] [Full text]

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Advertising study beneath BMJ standards

David J Reinhardt   (8 September 2008)

Advertising study beneath BMJ standards 8 September 2008
David J Reinhardt, research psychopharmacologist Long Beach CA 90808 Send response to journal: Re: Advertising study beneath BMJ standards	I found BMJ 2008;337:a1055,"Effect of illicit direct to consumer advertising on use of etanercept, mometasone, and tegaserod in Canada: controlled longitudinal study" to be seriously biased. Of the three drugs studied, two are used only be a narrow subset of patients. Embrel is used for advanced rheumatoid arthritis and was recently required to carry a warning for risk of fatal fungal infections by the FDA. Zelnorm was used for severe IBS prior to it's being banned due to increased risk of serious cardiovascular adverse events. Any informed physician would have strongly discouraged use of these drugs when presented with a request from the consumer. The only drug of the three which has a wider audience and does not have known, severe adverse effects is Nasonex. It DID SHOW significant increase in prescribing. A review of any consumer magazine clearly demonstrates that most consumer ad money is going into drugs that reduce cholesterol, solve erection issues, blunt anxiety, effect blood pressure and reduce allergy reactions, all drugs with potential high interest from consumers. These types of drugs are far more logical targets to study. It appears the desired outcome dictated the study design! David Reinhardt, Ph.D., M.P.P Research Psychopharmacologist Competing interests: None declared