The resumption of marketing for Celebrex -- even as the potential financial impact of the Vioxx debacle is still being assessed -- is drawing attention to the practice of direct-to-consumer marketing of prescription drugs.
News Inferno has a good writeup on the controversial practice, which seems to involve lots of sweeping shots of happy people standing on rugged seashores, the wind blowing through their hair. One odd angle to the debate is noted here:
While consumer advocates believe stricter rules and regulations are
needed, the FDA is currently looking at a proposal which would allow
drug manufacturers to simplify magazine and newspaper ads which are
currently required to include a list of detailed information about
risks and benefits. Critics of DTCA believe removing such information
would be a step in the wrong direction. (emphasis added)
Seems like an odd choice, given what happened with Vioxx. On the other hand, as the article notes, "Warnings have never convinced consumers to avoid a dangerous product
completely. All you need to do is consider the most extreme example;
cigarettes. In that case, the tobacco companies actually advertise
against smoking and, still, smoking (and death from smoking) abounds."
