[NPInfo] Agreement between Pfizer and the ACC

[pattinp at verizon.net]

Dave,

Once again, a big THANK YOU for your tireless advocacy!

Patti Robertson

>From: David Mittman <dmittman at comcast.net>
>Date: 2008/02/21 Thu AM 12:25:59 CST
>To: ACC Circle Circle <ACC-Circle at listserve.com>, PA Forum <PAForum at mc.duke.edu>, 
	NPinfo <NPinfo at nurse.net>
>Subject: [NPInfo] Agreement between Pfizer and the ACC

>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
>
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