Smoking Trees in Belize: Doctors pushing products that harm


Thursday, May 8, 2008

Doctors pushing products that harm

The
Florida Bar imposes strict requirements and limitations on lawyer
advertising. Attorney advertising is a contentious issue in many legal
circles; some see the ads as commercial speech, others view them as
tacky, and tasteless attempts to drum up business from another’s
misfortune. One thing is clear about all mediums of advertising for
attorneys, the Florida Bar routinely reigns in slogans
that fringe on guaranteeing satisfaction or gain. I am unfamiliar with
the rules regarding advertising in regards to doctors, but certain that
the Camel pitch seen above would draw frowns from the A.M.A. Less
clear, is the ethics regarding doctors pitching weight loss pills. My
chief beef is the smarmy “Dr.” John Marshall in the Hydroxycut ads.
Why a well funded company would need to use a rookie straight out of
med school for their pitchman is beyond me. Is he the only one willing
to sell out? Or did scouts find him in class and liked his bone
structure? Either way, it is disturbing that doctors can put their name
and license behind a product that is not F.D.A. approved. One wishes
there was a section of the Hippocratic
Oath stating: “I shall not engage in advertising practices in regard to
healthcare products that feature exaggerated claims or misleading
advice.”
Proactol’s medical squad looks rather quack-tastic.

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