Rapid Responses to:

HEAD TO HEAD: Trevor Jones Should drug companies be allowed to talk directly to patients?: YES BMJ 2003; 326: 1302 [Full text]

Rapid Responses: Submit a response to this article

Rapid Responses published:

Pfizer and Pele

Christopher Anton   (13 June 2003)

not at all.

dr.manan a.h. vasenwala   (20 June 2003)

Drugs Mis-Advertisements

John Madura   (24 June 2003)

Pfizer and Pele 13 June 2003
Christopher Anton, Administrative Co-ordinator City Hospital, B18 7QH Send response to journal: Re: Pfizer and Pele	Dear Editor When I first saw the Pele ad for impotence I knew at the end there was going to be some reference to it being sponsored by Pfizer - and indeed this proved to be the case. With tadenafil and vardenafil on the scene I reckon that this ad will not been seen for much longer. Of course if Trevor Jones is right, and pharmaceutical companies are such altruistic organisations whose aim is to provide "accurate, balanced, scientifically based, and ethically sound information about their medicines" (1) I look forward to seeing a new, better ad jointly promoted by Pfizer, Lilly and Bayer. 1. Jones, T. Should drug companies be allowed to talk directly to patients? YES. BMJ 2003; 326: 1302. Competing interests:   None declared
not at all. 20 June 2003
dr.manan a.h. vasenwala, consultant-cardiologist k.k.heart center,aligarh 202002.india Send response to journal: Re: not at all.	it will be a sad day when the drug companies are allowed to talk with the patients. only trained physicians can determine who is talkng what. as it is, we are constantly being bombarded with literature, most of which i think has to be taken with a pinch of salt.i find a lot of information disseminated by the drug companies are just tall claims aimed at making a quick buck. with rapidly expanding medical science a busy practioner can be deceived by distorted literature dished out by these companies. how will it be possible for ordinary patients without any medical training from being taken for a ride when trained physicians fall prey? it will be a miracle if you find any drug company giving the entire "correct" information. they will go bankrupt if they do so. better to leave it to a third, non-partisan organisation to give medical information to the patients. i will go a step further in asking all physicians to refer to standard texts only (not journals) in determining new treatment for their patients. Competing interests:   None declared
Drugs Mis-Advertisements 24 June 2003
John Madura, Patient retired Send response to journal: Re: Drugs Mis-Advertisements	As a severe pain patient in a large hospital's managed pain program, I have been involved with many drugs for my own care. I have taken the time to read all the available information about every drug i take. What amazes me is the claims that are made on television and print ads for these same drugs. My first thought was that most of the claims were fraud at the worst and severely stretching the truth if otherwise. Sadly the average patient has no clue about the validity of such claims yet they often openly talk about how great it will be once they get the doctor to prescribe it. SO now we have patients - with no clue of interactions or misapplications pressuring overworked doctors to prescribe drugs that they want - but do not really need. It takes a strong physician to stand up to an otherwise good patient and say NO! GOOD LUCK Doctors! Competing interests:   None declared