DR. ROBERT JARVIK!!!!!!!!!

1/23/2008 9:17:01 AM

http://consumerist.com/342867/congress-asks-pfizer-why-is-dr-jarvik-qualified-to-pitch-lipitor

1/23/2008 9:18:42 AM

I hate those commercials

that guy creeps me out

you're not supposed to stare at the camera like that

1/23/2008 9:19:34 AM

i cant fucking stand those commercials...there are 2 of them...one where he is running with his dog or something....i dont care to see this jarvik guy jog

1/23/2008 9:23:50 AM

Quote :

"Dr. Robert Jarvik is the inventor of the Jarvik artificial heart, right? You know that because he's the pitch-man for Lipitor, a heavily advertised cholesterol drug. Have you ever stopped to ask yourself why inventing an artificial heart qualifies the man to pitch a drug? From Reuters (emphasis ours) A U.S. House of Representatives committee said on Monday it was probing Pfizer Inc (PFE.N: Quote, Profile, Research) advertisements that feature heart specialist Robert Jarvik pitching its blockbuster cholesterol drug Lipitor. Democrats on the House Energy & Commerce Committee said they were worried the widely seen commercials may mislead consumers. The probe is part of an investigation into celebrity endorsements of prescription medications, the lawmakers said. "We are concerned that consumers may misinterpret the health claims of a prescription drug promoted in a direct-to-consumer advertisement utilizing a celebrity physician," top committee Democrats said in a letter to Pfizer. The letter also said the lawmakers were "concerned that Dr. Jarvik's qualifications may be misinterpreted in this advertisement campaign given that he may not be a practicing physician with a valid license in any state." Really? No license to practice medicine? The WSJ Health Blog explains: NBC's science guru Robert Bazell wrote last year that while Jarvik is an M.D., he doesn't have "the strongest credentials." His grades as an undergrad at Syracuse University weren't good enough for U.S. med school, so he attended the University of Bologna in Italy, leaving after two years. In 1976, Jarvik graduated from the University of Utah's med school, but he never did an internship or practiced medicine, Bazell wrote. ...and of course here's Pfizer's response: Dr. Jarvik is a respected health care professional and heart expert. Dr. Jarvik, inventor of the Jarvik artificial heart, knows how imperative it is for patients to do everything they can to keep their heart working well. Furthermore, the advertising advises consumers to speak to their physicians about their heart health. The communication in the advertising helps educate consumers that it is important to keep the heart healthy including, if necessary, using medications that have been proven to maintain heart health. That's all well and good, but can someone explain why Sally Field is qualified to shill Boniva? Is it because she has bones?"

hahaha

1/23/2008 9:26:09 AM

Quote :

"The letter also said the lawmakers were "concerned that Dr. Jarvik's qualifications may be misinterpreted in this advertisement campaign given that he may not be a practicing physician with a valid license in any state.""

in other words the stupid must be protected from themselves.

1/23/2008 9:33:31 AM

speaking of sally field...i cant stand her commercials either

1/23/2008 9:34:31 AM

I don't understand why they even mention he invented that artificial heart. Are those even used in medicine?

[Edited on January 23, 2008 at 9:45 AM. Reason : adsf]

1/23/2008 9:45:19 AM

Yea they were used in the early 80s on some patients, but the patients usually never made it past half a year on the Jarvik-7.

[Edited on January 23, 2008 at 9:58 AM. Reason : Sorry wrong decade. First artifical heart transplant was 82. Jarvik did not do the surgery.]

1/23/2008 9:53:03 AM

so the artificial heart was a failure?

1/23/2008 9:55:10 AM

i thought the jarvik heart was something that came out a few years ago...i know some black dude got an artificial heart like 2 years ago and lived like 3 months on it before dying

1/23/2008 9:56:09 AM

the university of bologna?

awesome

also, the jarvik 7 wasnt the greatest thing ever, but it was awesome for the time. and, really, any extra time is better than none (to lots of people). the 2000 seems to be doing a lot better, though (although it's more like a pacemaker than a fake heart, from what i understand)

ps:

http://www.jarvikheart.com/news.asp?id=20

Quote :

"Statement by Dr. Jarvik Regarding his Role as Lipitor Spokesman For the past two years, I have been the national spokesman for Lipitor. My work in the field of artificial hearts spans 36 years, including inventions contributing to the first permanent total artificial heart used in a patient (the Jarvik 7 heart), and the invention, development, and clinical application of a miniature, silent heart assist device (the Jarvik 2000 heart) that has sustained a patient in good health for 7-and-a-half years, much longer than any other artificial heart in the world. I do not practice clinical medicine and hence do not treat individual patients. My career is in medical science. I have earned Bachelors, Masters, and MD degrees, and I have received honorary Doctor of Science, Doctor of Engineering, and Doctor of Medicine degrees. I am presently President and CEO of the company that manufactures the Jarvik 2000 heart. I have collaborated closely with many top surgeons and cardiologists from dozens of leading medical centers in the United States, Europe, and Asia. I have been named Inventor of the Year and have received a Lifetime Research Achievement Award among other honors. The Jarvik 7 and Jarvik 2000 hearts have been displayed at the Smithsonian Institution as part of their exhibit called “Treasures of American History.” I have the training, experience, and medical knowledge to understand the conclusions of the extensive clinical trials that have been conducted to study the safety and effectiveness of Lipitor. Also, Pfizer submits advertising concepts in advance to the FDA for review and comment. The statements included in the ads fairly represent the scientific truth about Lipitor, which the public has a right to know, and which Pfizer is entitled to teach. I accepted the role of spokesman for Lipitor because I am dedicated to the battle against heart disease, which killed my father at age 62 and motivated me to become a medical doctor. I believe the process of educating the public is beneficial to many patients and I am pleased to be part of an effort to reach them. I am not a celebrity. I am a medical scientist specializing in advanced technology to treat heart failure who understands that no one in his or her right mind would want an artificial heart if it could be avoided with preventive medicine. Robert Jarvik, MD"

also:

Quote :

"First artifical heart transplant was 82. Jarvik did not do the surgery"

true, but you're making it sound like it wasn't a jarvik-7. since jarvik doesnt treat individuals, it would make sense that someone else implant it.

[Edited on January 23, 2008 at 10:06 AM. Reason : /]

1/23/2008 10:01:43 AM

Yeah, Bitches!

1/23/2008 10:06:17 AM

"Dr. Jarvik is a respected health care professional and heart expert. Dr. Jarvik, inventor of the Jarvik artificial heart, . . ."


Haha I keeping thinking of, "Bob Vance, Vance Refrigeration"

1/23/2008 10:15:53 AM

Well they were disputing his Dr. and I was stating yes he made the 7, yes it was used in people and medicine, but he is not the doctor that installs them. He made the thing. He was there for the operation itself and checked in on the guy regularly, and made press conferences with the doctor who installed it. It was a team effort. But I wanted to clarify he is not your neighborhood surgeon or anything, he just designed the artificial heart itself.

1/23/2008 10:16:27 AM

So he's not a doctor that prescribes medicine, he's a medical researcher and pioneer. I'de say he knows a lot about heart health. I think Pfizer was counting on people reacting to name recognition.

He was interviewed on the Today show last week and admitted that he didn't take Lipitor until after he did the filming for the commercials. He felt the commercials were a way to promote heart health. Doing commercials promotes the size his bank account balance too.

And then there are the "Purple Pill" commercials. Ask your doctor about the Purple Pill. Notice some of those commercials didn't even share what the Purple Pill did? That's so they didn't have to recite the list of side effects and all the other stuff that goes with making a sales pitch for a drug.

And yeah he is a creepy ass mofo when he's staring into the camera.

-- Dave

1/23/2008 10:28:18 AM

bttt

3/7/2008 3:24:34 PM

Sally Field used to be hot.
Remember Norma Rae? Shit.

3/7/2008 3:32:16 PM

these ads have been officially pulled off the air/presses

3/7/2008 3:36:55 PM

People who need a heart transplant should die. Darwin ftw.

3/7/2008 4:19:14 PM