Dr Jarvik investigated as drug pitchman

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Specializes in Vents, Telemetry, Home Care, Home infusion.

from: http://physiciansnews.com

the house committee on energy and commerce is investigating dr. robert jarvik's role as pitchman for the pfizer cholesterol drug lipitor, out of concern that the campaign may be misleading.

jarvik, best known for the artificial heart he pioneered more than a quarter-century ago, began appearing in television ads two years ago for the drug, with the ads depicting him in outdoor activities such as rowing a one-man racing shell swiftly across a mountain lake while saying that lipitor significantly lowers cholesterol when diet and exercise aren't enough, reported the new york times. the lipitor campaign is a rare instance of a well-known doctor's endorsing a drug in direct-to-consumer advertising, while the committee's questions involve jarvik's qualifications to recommend lipitor on television: although jarvik holds a medical degree, he is not a cardiologist and is not licensed to practice medicine, while a stunt double was used to depict jarvik rowing, the times noted. the committee, chaired by rep. john dingell (d-mich.), is looking into when and why jarvik began taking lipitor and whether the advertisements give the public a false impression, the times added.

new york times, february 6, 2008

read on...

interesting...no license in state of ny where he's working on artifical heart http://www.op.nysed.gov/opsearches.htm

nor texas http://www.docboard.org/tx/df/txsearch.htm

nor utah:https://secure.utah.gov/llv/llv

winki bio states not licensed as md after graduating 1976 univ of utah: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/robert_jarvik

i've had continuous nursing license since 1977...

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Huh. There goes my opinion of the man. Found his commercials to be rather charming also. He must be hard up for money like the rest of us.

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He did not complete an internship or residency and has never been licensed to practice medicine.

Interesting. I bet if you polled everyone who has seen those commercials, an overwhelming majority of them would state he is (or was) a licensed practicing physician.

A person who has graduated with a degree in nursing still cannot call or present themselves a 'nurse' until they've been licensed. To do so is illegal. Will someone explain to me how this is any different?

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16039753/

Seems to me that Pfizer should be required to place a prominent disclaimer in their advertising stating this man is not, and never has been, licensed to practice as a physician.

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I did a thread about this very topic as soon as the ads started. Said back then it was bad idea. I would post the link but there is way to much typing involved. As usual we nurses are way ahead of the press and rest of the world on these issues.:yeah:A big hand for us nurses.

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Specializes in Vents, Telemetry, Home Care, Home infusion.
I did a thread about this very topic as soon as the ads started. Said back then it was bad idea. I would post the link but there is way to much typing involved. As usual we nurses are way ahead of the press and rest of the world on these issues.:yeah:A big hand for us nurses.

Oramar's thread:

How do you feel about famous Doctors doing medication ads?

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

After reading Jarvik's bio, he seems more like a researcher to me and less like a physician. Never in my wildest imagination would I have guessed that this man had never earned licensure to practice medicine ANYWHERE.

However, I must say that the Lipitor commercials portray him as a beacon of brilliance.

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Specializes in Maternal - Child Health.

Does he hold a PhD? If so, then using the title of "Dr." is legit, if misleading.

This is a wake-up call that we should not be so influenced by advertising in making healthcare decisions.

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After reading Jarvik's bio, he seems more like a researcher to me and less like a physician. Never in my wildest imagination would I have guessed that this man had never earned licensure to practice medicine ANYWHERE.

However, I must say that the Lipitor commercials portray him as a beacon of brilliance.

I thought this was simply hilarious:

"In one spot, he is portrayed (by a stunt double) rowing on a lake. Although Jarvik is a medical doctor, he is not a cardiologist and is not licensed to practice medicine. Plus, 'he can't row,' said a colleague, who added, 'he's about as much an outdoorsman as Woody Allen.'"

Ooph! :lol2:

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Specializes in Everytype of med-surg.

Dr. Jarvik is not showing good taste portraying himself as something that he is not. However, people need to stop making medication decisions based on a commercial:uhoh21:. Sure, they may learn about a new drug from TV, but it is ultimately up to the doctor to decide if it is the best drug for the patient. Anyone who pushes for a drug because of the spokesperson has got other judgement issues going on. I don't care what kind of commercial it is, I will look the drug up from a reliable source and talk to my doctor first before I decide to take it.

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Dr. Jarvik is not showing good taste portraying himself as something that he is not. However, people need to stop making medication decisions based on a commercial:uhoh21:. Sure, they may learn about a new drug from TV, but it is ultimately up to the doctor to decide if it is the best drug for the patient. Anyone who pushes for a drug because of the spokesperson has got other judgement issues going on. I don't care what kind of commercial it is, I will look the drug up from a reliable source and talk to my doctor first before I decide to take it.

Personally, I think that when Dr. Jarvik goes on record in a public forum, extoling the virtues of this medication, he should also go on record as to how much money he is being paid by the drug company to push/promote this product.

Also known as, "truth in advertising". JMHO.

Lindarn, RN, BSN, CCRN

Spokane, Washington

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Specializes in ER, Infusion therapy, Oncology.

He said nothing that was not true in the advertisement. He did pioneer the artificial heart, and knows more about cardiology than most cardiologist. I do not think he is "portraying himself as something he is not". He is "brilliant", and a lot of lives have been saved because of his research. I am at a loss as to why it would be wrong for him to recommend a cholesterol lowering medication. Well known people advertise for all kinds of things. Sally Fields advertises for an osteoporosis medication.

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He said nothing that was not true in the advertisement. He did pioneer the artificial heart, and knows more about cardiology than most cardiologist. I do not think he is "portraying himself as something he is not". He is "brilliant", and a lot of lives have been saved because of his research. I am at a loss as to why it would be wrong for him to recommend a cholesterol lowering medication. Well known people advertise for all kinds of things. Sally Fields advertises for an osteoporosis medication.

But reality is, he is not a cardiologist, is not a licensed MD, and Sally Field does not hold herself out to be an expert on osteoporosis, only the user of the medication that she has taken, and how it allegedly has helped her.

If one is not licensed as an MD, as the individual stated above, one cannot hold oneself as a physician. I cannot call myself an RN if I do not have a license to practice nursing. He is misleading the public, how ever smart he is, and regardless of what he has invented. He is not a licensed physician and is portraying himself as one.

Lindarn, RN, BSN, CCRN

Spokane, Washington

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