Comments on: “I’m not a real doctor – but I play one on drug ads”

By: CPB

CPB — Mon, 29 Feb 2016 00:49:13 +0000

The fact that Dr. Jarvik is not a practicing MD could have just as well been a good thing since it is the practicing MDs that are unnecessarily prescribing these statins. MDs receive almost no training (two days or less) in nutrition during medical school. During their residency they learn by following the “best” practices of their peers. Since most MDs neither have the time, ability or the inclination to critically evaluate most medical research, most are as easily misled as their into believing the misrepresentations of the Big Pharma “research” advocates. Now assume that you have a 97% chance of avoiding heart disease (CVD) without any medication and suppose that a statin reduces your risk, improving your chances of avoiding CVD to 98%. This 1% improvement is typically reported as 50% (=1% / 2%, i.e. a relative risk reduction) to exaggerate the effect of the drug (see Diamond & Ravnskov, “How statistical deception created the appearance that statins are safe and effective in primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease”). This 50% risk reduction sounds like a tremendous improvement, but remember it is really only a 1% improvement. You cannot expect your family Doctor to protect you from the statistical malfeasance of the Big Pharma “research” advocates.

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By: The Skeptical Cardiologist

The Skeptical Cardiologist — Sun, 28 Jun 2015 16:34:03 +0000

[…] himself a doctor in direct to consumer videos), although he was never a licensed physician (see here for interesting discussion on the controversy that […]

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By: Carolyn Thomas

Carolyn Thomas — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 14:11:53 +0000

In reply to RightWing.

And when “everybody” includes those with the letters M.D. after their names shilling drugs for Big Pharma, it’s just plain wrong.

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By: RightWing

RightWing — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 03:29:37 +0000

Thx for this; just shows that everybody is for sale these days, using whatever reputation they can muster to cash in.

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By: Carolyn Thomas

Carolyn Thomas — Mon, 18 Jun 2012 15:50:34 +0000

In reply to Jung Hearted.

Sorry, Dr. Steve – you can’t buy me lunch after I talk to Pfizer on your behalf. Wouldn’t look good . . . 😉 But don’t give up – you may have a future in drug marketing endorsements.

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By: Jung Hearted

Jung Hearted — Mon, 18 Jun 2012 15:35:20 +0000

$1.3 Million? Will you let Pfizer know I am available? I draw my morality line at $1 million. Just let them know I will endorse lifestyle changes and walking a lot and that I get muscle problems from taking statins. Can I take you to lunch after you talk to them?

And I want to be in one of those ads where a gurney chases me around the woods if I don’t take the right drugs. I like putting the fear of death into people. Maybe I can sell Xanax too.

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