AHF Bans Pfizer Sales Representatives
From Facilities In Response....
February 14, 2007
The AIDS Healthcare Foundation
last week announced that it will ban Pfizer
sales representatives from its facilities during
business hours in response to how the drug maker
markets its erectile
dysfunction drug Cialis,
the AP/Forbes reports (AP/Forbes, 2/8). AHF
last month filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior
Court against Pfizer for allegedly promoting
recreational use of Viagra in advertisements.
AHF said Pfizer's ads for the drug have increased
risky sexual behavior, as well as cases of HIV
and other sexually transmitted infections, among
men.
The suit asks that Pfizer stop
running ads that promote Viagra as a lifestyle
drug and that the company fund ads promoting
awareness about the risks associated with Viagra
and STIs. In addition, the suit asks that Pfizer
forfeit profits gained from the "misleading"
ads and pay for AHF's costs of treating cases
of HIV/AIDS and other STIs that it has linked
to Viagra. AHF in December 2006 launched an
ad campaign against Pfizer because it said the
company's ads for Viagra promote recreational
use. Pfizer at the time denied that the ads
encourage recreational use of the drug and said
that its advertising states that the drug does
not protect against STIs (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS
Report, 1/22).
Recent Actions
According to AHF, Pfizer representatives will
not be allowed in its health care centers worldwide,
including 14 centers in California and Florida
(AHF release, 2/8). "After repeated attempts
to engage Pfizer on the negative impact of its
marketing and advertising strategy and tactics
for ... Viagra, there has been no recognition
by [Pfizer] of the documented correlation between
Viagra and the recent rise in sexually transmitted
diseases and HIV in men who have sex with men,"
AHF in the release said.
The group added that Pfizer has "made
no attempt to address this alarming trend."
Pfizer in a statement said that AHF's decision
is "unfortunate" because the "reality
is Pfizer sales representatives provide very
valuable and important information about medical
conditions and Pfizer medicines designed to
treat these conditions." The company added,
"As a result, we believe this decision
may negatively impact patients receiving care
at local AHF clinics" (AP/Forbes, 2/8).
In related news, an FDA advisory panel announced
last week that it will meet on April 24 to examine
the safety and efficacy of Pfizer's CCR5 blocker
maraviroc, the AP/365Gay.com reports. Pfizer
plans to offer the drug, which is taken twice
daily, with a test developed by Monogram Biosciences
that determines if people likely will respond
to the treatment (AP/365Gay.com, 2/8).
Source:
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php
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