Consumer group Public Citizen has asked the Food and Drug Administration to ban a two-and-a-half minute television commercial for Pfizer's Celebrex that it claims gives consumers a false
impression that the prescription drug has no more safety risk than other painkillers. It was broadcast on "World News With Charles Gibson" on ABC and can also be seen on celebrex.com.
The spot was the only ad during last Monday's "World News," as was a spot for Chantix--Pfizer's prescription stop-smoking drug--last night. Gibson says the new format with less advertising will be
repeated on several Mondays this month.
Celebrex is in the same class of drugs as the Merck pill Vioxx, which was withdrawn in 2004 because of its link to cardiovascular problems. A
Pfizer executive defended the advertisement, saying the ad is "a very responsible approach to talking about a medicine."
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