[NPInfo] ACC Announcement on Talks with Pfizer

[David Mittman]

Pfizer/ACC Agreement On "Only your Doctor" Problem.

N.Y. N.Y. (February 21, 2008)
The American College of Clinicians (ACC) an organization that  
advocates for the nurse practitioner and physician assistant  
professions is pleased to announce a major agreement with Pfizer  
Pharmaceuticals regarding the language used in their direct to  
consumer advertising campaigns. This is the second major accord in  
the last few months on this issue, the last being with  
GlaxoSmithkline.  In negotiations which are still being conducted, a  
number of agreements were made between Pfizer and the ACC relating to  
the problem of identifying  who prescribes to the public in  
commercials designed to go directly to the consumer (DTC). The issue  
concerned phrases that suggest that "doctors" are the only clinicians  
who prescribe or the only professionals who are allowed to diagnose  
and treat most illnesses. As PAs and NPs are also allowed to diagnose  
and prescribe, a high majority of our members felt that these phrases  
were inaccurate and are commonly used by many different companies in  
their DTC campaigns.

As a result of these ongoing talks between the ACC and Pfizer, Pfizer  
has agreed that commercials that state "Only your doctor can  
prescribe" a particular product will be discontinued as these  
respective ad campaigns play out. Pfizer also did a complete analysis  
of all terms used in medical communications to try to come up with  
words that will satisfy all involved about what to label clinicians  
who prescribe when communicating with  consumers. Because of this  
need, the organizations also agreed, in principle, to explore more  
consumer-centric solutions to nomenclature, which starts with a poll  
of the ACC members and other PAs and NPs to see if they can help us  
find a better solution than "healthcare professional" to use in these  
direct to consumer commercials. A survey will be posted on the ACC  
web site asking their members to try to identify a word to use that  
covers all professionals who commonly prescribe medications.

The ACC commends Pfizer for this action and for listening to the  
concerns of the many clinicians who contacted them. We ask that our  
members and all PAs and NPs across the country who are visited by  
Pfizer representatives take a minute out and thank their  
representatives for their company's positive reaction to, and  
recognition of, this issue. The American College of Clinicians is a  
professional organization representing for both nurse practitioners  
and physician assistants.
   www.amcollege.org
Here is the link to the title preference survey for DTC advertising.
Please if you are an NP or  PA complete the below survey.
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=Jkya17aYV60Jc7fS2u7TIw_3d_3d