Editor—I am not surprised by the findings presented by Moynihan in his article on drug companies and their entanglements.1 If advertising didn't work companies wouldn't spend millions on it.
From my friends in the advertising world, I know that face to face encounters and “friendly gestures” are key pieces of successful advertising campaigns. Several writers have suggested that we, as highly intelligent professionals, can resist such marketing techniques. That is a conclusion that may be right for an individual but is not generalisable to the population as a whole.
The evidence presented by Moynihan seems strong and deserves our attention. When the prognosis could be serious, it is imprudent to ignore early signs and symptoms.
Competing interests: SM is a member of JCIR (Joint Council of Interns and Residents), the union representing all house staff in the public hospitals of Los Angeles County.
References
- 1.Moynihan R. Who pays for the pizza? BMJ 2003;326: 1189-92. (31 May.) [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]