Yaz, a birth control pill that Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals produces, according to an article in the New York Times, was called out last week by the Food and Drug Administration for misleading commercials. The commercials in question promoted this new birth control pill as having more positive benefits than it actually does and down playing the serious health risks of the drug. This ad campaign used symbols, the hyperbole technique, and the “Simple Solution” approach to sell their product to young women.
The You Tube ad that I have at the top of this page uses symbols, such as, young successful women in a stylish setting to promote what a smart, educated decision using Yaz is. Bayer also used the “hyperbole” technique in this ad by making claims that this new pill significantly helps women suffering from severe Premenstrual Syndrome, mood swings and can help clear up acne too. Regulators for the FDA say that these claims have been simply over blown. The Yaz advertisements also offer the “Simple Solution” approach by telling these women that just by taking this birth control you also can get the benefits of easier periods and better skin and promoting it as a “lifestyle” not just birth control.
The FDA has forced Bayer to run $20 million in commercials from now until July that restates the effects of this birth control to reinforce the serious health risk that it can cause. Bayer made $616 million in sales of Yaz last year alone so is a new restated ad campaign that will run for five months really hurting them that much for using such misleading and deceptive advertisements? No, probably not, but is nice to know that the FDA is getting a little tougher on those drugs companies that are trying to exaggerate their products benefits. These pharmaceutical companies gain millions of dollars from running these misleading ads at our cost. Why should we care if pharmaceutical companies inflate the benefits of some drugs and down play the negative health risk that they could have on us, well, we should know the full truth about these drugs before we ingest them and become more informed consumers.
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Yaz the Birth Control That Was Too Good To Be True
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My problem with the FDA punishing YAZ for their simple commercials is that YAZ is a prescription drug. YAZ cannot be obtained without a doctor, so the doctors should the ones telling the patients and informing them of all of the side effects. Based on person to person, the side effects are different, and these side effects of increase protein in the urine, hypertension, Gallbladder disease, Hepatic adenomas or benign liver tumors, cerebral thrombosis (clot), Cerebral hemorrhage, Myocardial infarction, Pulmonary embolism, Arterial thromboembolism (clotting), and Thrombophlebitis. (From http://www.rxlist.com/yaz-drug.htm)
ReplyDeletePatients can be more prone to some of these side effects based on family history and personal medical conditions, that only a doctor would know about. The commercial cannot be applied to EVERY person; therefore I have no problem with their commercials.
I know that YAZ is just trying to market their product, like any other company. I know that if this company is being put down for their commercials, why are beer commercials not being put down for their commercials showing alcohol in only the “fun” light and not showing the negative side effects that alcohol has on the body. So what makes us think that the FDA will not take control of everything we see on TV?
Well I agree that the doctors should be the ones to tell their patients whether they think a prescription drug is right for them, it is also the FDA's job to censure commercials about food and drugs. If there is a commercial airing about a prescription drug that does not list all the side affects, then it is their responsibility to get that company to change that ad. A beer commercial, while it might only show the "fun" side of drinking, also isn't such a big deal if they don't list all of the side affects someone might have if they drink a beer. A prescription drug can have many more serious affects then beer, so it seems much more important to fine and censure a type of birth control that is not completely truthful.
ReplyDeleteIf someone doesn't stop a company that makes drugs from lying about the affects of their products then what will they censure?
I agree that the FDA shouldn't allow a perscription drug to put misleading information on a commercial, but they also have to market their product. I think that it was smart for them to use the setting that they did to promote the choice of Yaz as the right idea. I believe that any commercial should be able to use this technique as a way of drawing people in. I don't think its right that they put any misleading information or incorrect information in their commercials and should be forced to correct their information. On the other hand, you can't expect someone that's trying to sell you a product to put all the bad things(side effects) about the product in their sales pitch. Should the commercial be changed? Yes. Should Yaz be punished? No.
ReplyDeleteI have seen the new ad for YAZ and it does justify the original ad. I think that the FDA was not out of line for asking them to put out a new commercial because in the end it only benefits the customers. I know a lot of girls that use YAZ and they say its great it helps with mood swings, clears up your face and much more. As for selling the product every vendor is going to go above and beyond their power to get people to buy their product but in cases like this I do not think prescription products or any medical products should be advertised in any way that can be misleading.
ReplyDeleteI think I just heard a retracked comment about YAZ-if I am not mistaking the commercial said that they wanted to "clear up some confusion about the drug" medical experimentation is what it is!
ReplyDeleteThe birth control pill. Yaz, has been linked to life-threatening side effects such as strokes, blood clots, and heart attacks. Since 2004, at least 50 deaths have been reported in women taking Yaz and contraceptives made with similar ingredients. There is more information on this disturbing problem at http://www.yaz-may-cause-strokes.com/.
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