Parade Magazine's monthly health supplement, HealthyStyle, debuts Sept. 17, and the publisher hopes it will prove a lure for pharma advertisers.

A report by West Virginia's Pharmaceutical Cost Management Council said pharmas spent $16 million on DTC advertising in the state from July 2007 through December 2007.

Reps. John Dingell and Bart Stupak, who chair the Committee on Energy and Commerce and the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee thereof, respectively, praised Merck, Schering-Plough, Pfizer and J&J for agreeing to follow AMA guidelines regarding the use of docs in ads and to not advertise off-label uses of drugs.

Pfizer gathered capabilities info from its US consumer and professional advertising and PR agencies while issuing RFIs to some non-roster agencies, AdWeek reported.

The Federal Trade Commission has opened an investigation into the possible deceptive advertising and marketing of DTC genetic tests, according to The New York Times

All the fury over DTC drug ads emanating from Washington hasn't dented their credibility with consumers, according to Rodale's 11th annual Survey on Consumer Reaction to DTC Advertising of Prescription Drugs.

Merck agreed to submit all TV ads to the FDA before running them and to adhere to agency recommendations on them as part of a Vioxx-related settlement.

Four top pharmas told Reps. John Dingell and Bart Stupak that they would refrain from advertising new drugs to consumers for six months after they hit the market.

The American Medical Association's House of Delegates adopted a resolution calling for "appropriate organizations" to develop criteria for the advertising of DTC genetic tests

The American College of Medical Genetics issued guidelines on genetic testing aimed at consumers amidst rising DTC advertising of the services.