FDA - Do "celebrities" sell?

The FDA is holding meetings this week that could produce the first significant changes to drug advertising after months of criticism from Congress and other groups.

Some say Vioxx advertisements featuring Olympian Dorothy Hamill, who has arthritis, fueled an excessive number of prescriptions before the painkiller's heart risks became fully evident.

Among the FDA's questions: Do testimonials by celebrities mislead the public about prescription drug safety?

''It's hard to imagine a setting in which a celebrity endorsement of a drug conveys any meaningful information to patients in terms of either efficacy or side effects," said Dr. Alastair J.J. Wood, associate dean of Vanderbilt Medical Center.

Insiders' view: Of course celebrity sells! Ask any advertising agency exec. If it didn't why are celebritys' agents able to negotiate such high fees for their clients for this type of work!

Source: Boston Globe