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.
