Jarvik Responds to Lipitor Ad Controversy

But Congress, where many are overweight or obese, apparently has no stomach to go after the other threats to national health (IMHO), e.g., Oprah, her self-anointed experts, diet gurus, Big Pharma, The View, the sick care industry, and NIH/the government itself.

"Robert Jarvik, the inventor of the artificial heart, is at the center of a congressional investigation into his credentials and his role as pitchman for the top-selling cholesterol-lowering drug Lipitor.

In the commercials, Jarvik says, 'Lipitor is one of the most researched medicines. I'm glad I take Lipitor, as a doctor, and a dad.'

Despite his famous medical breakthrough, Jarvik ended his training after medical school, instead of completing a medical internship. He can't legally prescribe medicine to anyone and he is not licensed to practice medicine.

'I am a medical scientist not a practical physician,' he said on 'Good Morning America' today. 'I think it's very upfront. I am a doctor. I have long experience with heart disease.'"

But not clinically.

And this is a bit slimy:

"His goal is to disseminate the message of preventive medicine in relation to heart disease."

Prevention has not a thing to do with taking drugs for rescue.

Although if you look at a copy of the corrupt (IMHO) magazine Prevention, you will see that it is loaded with drug ads.

"'Our ad campaign with Pfizer is an educational (sic),' he said."

Education to ask for Lipitor, that is.

Ad campaigns for direct to consumer marketing of drugs are means to pressure doctors into prescribing the product.

"'We're looking to see if there is wrongdoing but also we're looking to see if the law needs to be changed to give us a better level of protection for the consumers,' Dingell said."

Cessation of drug advertising direct to consumers is one way to improve their protection.

Cessation of bad diet and exercise advice is the right way to prevent many diseases given our current knowledge.

"Fitness is the only REAL preventive medicine." (tm)