A Consumer Reports survey of primary care physicians on DTC TV advertising found that 78% said they are asked by patients for specific drugs they’ve seen advertised on TV and 67% said they sometimes grant those requests. The magazine cautions readers against self-diagnosis.
More execs than docs think DTC ads provide complete info
A survey of 500 consumers, 150 physicians and industry officials by PricewaterhouseCooper found that only 10% of physicians and consumers think that DTC ads provides complete and useful info, compared with 40% of industry executives.
The Government Accountability Office ripped the FDA for lax policing of DTC advertising, saying the agency was slow to act on dubious drug ads due to inconsistent standards and bureaucratic snafus.
Sepracor appointed Rob Ciappenelli to replace Tim Healey as head of its CNS portfolio, which includes the company’s Lunesta franchise, according to reports and sources close to the company.
“[Med ed] Planners must learn how to balance stakeholder interests by applying democratic principles in negotiating educational, political, and program outcomes,” wrote Mike Saxton, Pfizer CME director, in a JCEHP review about the gap between classical program-planning theory and its application.
Jack Kues, PhD, head of CME, University of Cincinnati, is the new president of NC-CME. He takes over for Judy Ribble, PhD, former president, who has moved to interim executive director.
The American Society of Hypertension will host a debate on conflicts of interest at its annual meeting, reports The Boston Globe. ASH had nixed the critic-only talk but rescheduled, inviting industry advocates.
Leist named Alliance for CME interim executive director
James Leist, EdD, has been named interim executive director of the Alliance for CME, taking over for Bruce Bellande, PhD. Leist, ACME coordinator for learning and change, is a consultant and former president of the group.