I don't take Lipitor, but I admit to being impressed by the ads featuring Dr. Robert Jarvik. After all, I thought, if the man who created the artificial heart endorses Lipitor, who am I to argue? Then I read this New York Times article that raised some serious questions. First of all, he's not a cardiologist, which surprised me since he built a heart. Second of all, he used a stunt double in one of the ads where he appeared to be rowing. Even the replacement ads show him jogging. Clearly they were trying to send a message that Lipitor will keep you healthy enough to be an outdoorsman. If they're that dishonest about the advertising, what's that say about the medication itself?
4 comments:
Robert Jarvik also wasn't the inventor of the original artificial heart, it was actually Dr. Paul Winchell's invention. Jarvik eventually improved upon the device after Winchell's patent was generously gifted to the University of Utah. It since has been alleged that Winchell was tricked into the donation.
Because of my job I know all about Jarvis and was actually very upset about the ads since its a blatant attempt to market a product with a tenuous link to a well-known doctor. Knowing hes not a doctor kind of makes it better, but still.
Well, apparently he is a doctorr, just not qualified to dispense medical advice because he never completed an intership or residency.
And I look up Winchell, and it says he was an actor and voice-over actor, not a doctor. Yet he developed the artificial heart. It's a strange world.
Apparently that worthless program is great for spamming blogs too.
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