First, they actually
did something about Vioxx...now they're pounding on Viagra about their ads:
here
Pfizer Inc. has been asked to pull two television advertisements for its Viagra impotence drug by U.S. officials who say the "wild thing" ads make unsubstantiated claims about a return of sexual desire.
The Food and Drug Administration, in a letter released Monday, said the 30- and 15-second ads also failed to mention major side effects and why some patients should not take Viagra.
More below
And another quote:
The ads, with a voice-over that includes "Remember that guy who used to be called 'wild thing'?" and later says, "He's back," additionally failed to mention the specific condition Viagra is intended for -- erectile dysfunction.
Now, it was my understanding that if a drug ad didn't say what it treated, it didn't have to talk about the side effects.
Is this a possible shift in policy by the FDA, because it certainly seems to me that drug ads have been like this for a long time.
Unless this is Bush using the FDA to do something that the FCC cant...