A union that has lambasted J&J’s Centocor for using deceptive pricing and marketing practices to peddle Remicade is protesting a documentary about people who suffer from psoriasis, Crohn’s disease, and rheumatoid arthritis. The 58-minute flick, called Innerstate, debuted in New York three months ago is now being screened in select theaters.

The documentary is financed by Centocor, which sells Remicade, a medication that happens to be used to treat those same maladies. The drug isn’t named in the movie, but at an April 28 screening in the Philadelphia area, material that accompanied a DVD, which apparently is now being distributed at the screenings, does contain a ‘Viewer’s Guide’ that mentions the med and side effects.

So Service Employees International Union, which notes that the federal government filed a lawsuit accusing the drugmaker of using tactics that forced Medicare, insurers and consumers to overpay for Remicade, this morning wrote PhRMA’s Office of Accountability. The union complained that J&J’s Centocor is attempting to circumvent industry guidelines on DTC advertising, and wants the trade group to investigate J&J for violations. The union has also been protesting in front of theaters where the flick has been screened.

As John Mack notes on his Pharma Marketing blog, the DVD came with a letter from Tom Schaible, Centocor’s vp of medical affairs, urging you to “talk to a doctor to learn if biologic therapy is an appropriate treatment option.”

Says Mack: “None of this - not the movie, not the DVD, and not the letter - is considered DTC advertising and none of it is subject to FDA regulation. That’s because no brand name drug is mentioned.” But then he found the Viewer’s Guide, which came with the Remicade warning label and is apparently designed to fill the role of a medication guide.

Pharmalot wasn’t invited to the initial screening in New York three months ago, but after writing about the film anyway (see ‘The 60-Minute Documentary as DTC Ad’), the company sent a copy. However, there was no accompanying material. Perhaps J&J would like to send the Viewer’s Guide and everything else so it can all be examined?

In any event, the union’s action underscores the initial concern about this flick - perhaps J&J can successfully skirt FDA rules and industry guidelines. That remains to be seen. Even so, that doesn’t mean Innerstate isn’t a movie cleverly disguised as marketing vehicle.

Question for FDA commish Andy von Eschenbach: Have you sent anyone to see the flick and examine the material?

Here’s the letter.
The Innerstate site.

[tags]Centocor, DTC Advertising, Innerstate, Johnson & Johnson[/tags]