• Reuters via CNNMoney.com, Thursday, February 15, 2007 12:30 PM

Johnson & Johnson is moving into a new genre of drug advertising, rolling out a documentary film about inflammatory diseases. But some health experts say the company may be blurring the lines between patient education and self-interest. The effort, set to debut in New York this month, comes amid complaints that direct-to-consumer TV ads play down side effects of drugs and drive up costs.

The 60-minute film, dubbed "Innerstate," chronicles the lives of three people dealing with psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn's disease -- and all find relief through costly drugs like Johnson & Johnson's Remicade. Michael Parks, spokesman for J&J's and executive producer of the film, defends the approach: "This is definitely not a 60-minute infomercial. The intent is really to educate patients in a meaningful way." He adds that traditional DTC ads do not provide enough time to cover complex diseases while the film lets patients discuss their decision to use advanced therapies.

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