Crossing the Line?
Feb 18th, 2008 • Posted in: Letters From ReadersCarl Hausman’s commentary last week, “…But I Play One on TV,” drew many responses from readers, most of whom agreed that that there were ethical problems with the ad, which features Dr. Robert Jarvik, the inventor of the artificial heart, advertising a cholesterol-lowering drug.
A few readers offered a blanket objection to the entire premise of advertising prescription drugs. One reader argued that the advertising industry uses evocative imagery (with risks buried in disclaimers) to send consumers “scurrying to doctors” for drugs they may not need.
Several readers took issue with the fact that Jarvik, though possessing a medical degree, is not licensed to practice medicine and in fact has never practiced. Writes one: “To me, the issue with the Jarvik ad is that because Jarvik invented the Jarvik Heart, I just assumed he was a cardiologist. I was actually shocked when I learned from the Times story that he doesn’t even practice medicine. Turns out he’s just a good pump designer. As someone who is normally immune from being sucked into believing such endorsements, I’m kind of humbled that this one actually worked on me.”
Others were not troubled by the fact that Jarvik is not a practicing physician, pointing out that his academic background would give him the ability to evaluate claims made in the ad.
But what did rankle almost everyone who responded was the use of a double — an experienced rower who physically resembles Jarvik — in a scene that ostensibly showed Jarvik rowing a racing shell as his voice-over extolled the health benefits of the drug. “It is the body double in the boat that kills it and makes it deceptive,” writes a former pharmaceutical company attorney. “Even that wouldn’t be off limits if he did the scull routine regularly, but he doesn’t. Both he and his media critics confirm that.”
A medical professional concurs: “When an actor pretends to be Dr. Jarvik without stating that this is an enactment, that is dishonest. Dr. Jarvik is, in fact, a doctor, but it would have been more ethical to state that he is not a doctor who practices cardiology or even medicine. But the real dishonesty is the first [claim].”
– Compiled by Ethics Newsline® editor Carl Hausman
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