Healthy Skepticism Library item: 14807

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: news

Silverman E.
Novartis Guards Against Unapproved Advertising
Pharmalot 2008 Dec 11
http://www.pharmalot.com/2008/12/novartis-guards-against-unapproved-advertising/

Full text:

Literally. The drugmaker hired a pair of bouncers to stand guard at its booth at the annual gathering of the American Society for Tropical Medicine and Hygiene in New Orleans, ScienceInsider tells us, for the sole purpose of keeping away US residents.
Why? The booth has information about Coartem, an anti-malarial drug sold by the tens of millions of doses in the developing world, SI writes. But as long as the FDA has not yet given its green light to Coartem (a decision is due later this month), the booth would constitute an advertisement for an unapproved drug, which isn’t kosher (back story). Imagine having your ID checked before being able to chat about a drug?
Hat tip to ScienceInsider (lovely photo, too)
http://blogs.sciencemag.org/scienceinsider/2008/12/us-residents-ke.html