Pfizer is talking to the FDA about renewing TV ads for Celebrex as soon as this summer, and the drugmaker sounds pretty cocksure that a campaign is about to get under way. “We plan to launch new consumer advertising sometime in the second quarter based on the outcome of discussions with the FDA,” says Pfizer spokesman.

The drugmaker agreed to yank its ads two years ago in the wake of the Vioxx scandal and subsequent publicity surrounding Cox-2 inhibitors. In fact, Celebrex now carries a Black Box warning and safety questions persist, although recent reports indicate the painkiller is staging a comeback among Baby Boomers who are willing to overlook the risk of a heart attack.

Pfizer, undoubtedly, will be under pressure to disclose the safety risks, especially since the PhRMA trade group is trying to spruce up the industry’s image with voluntary guidelines that say the FDA will get to peek at any ads before they run. And Pfizer is supposedly among the drugmakers that pledged to be held accountable for the content of their ads.

But this is the same company that ignored good judgement and common sense by running the ‘Little Blue Devil’ TV ads for Viagra, which clearly were aimed at any guy wanting an erection, not the older set suffering from ED. And the AIDS Healthcare Foundation says Pfizer’s Viagra ads of promoting promiscuous sex.

Celebrex may truly benefit some patients. But that shouldn’t be misconstrued as a rationale for allowing Pfizer to promote Celebrex inappropriately. The question now is whether the FDA is up for the job. What do you think?

Pfizer, FDA Talk About Celebrex TV Ads in The Chicago Tribune;
Suffering Boomers Want To Fill Vioxx Void in The Chicago Tribune;
How Safe Is Celebrex? in The Boston Globe.

[tags]Celebrex, Pfizer, Viagra[/tags]