Pfizer withdraws Lipitor DTC ad featuring Robert Jarvik

US drug giant Pfizer is voluntarily withdrawing direct-to-consumer advertising featuring physician Robert Jarvik for its blockbuster cholesterol-lowering drug Lipitor (atorvastatin) and has committed to ensuring greater clarity in the roles and responsibilities of its spokespeople in its consumer advertising and promotion.

The move comes on the back of criticism and congressional committee scrutiny questioning whether Dr Jarvik, an artificial heart pioneer, had been misrepresented. Reportedly, Pfizer has, spent more than $258.0 million advertising Lipitor since 2006, most of this being on the Jarvik campaign. The situation appears to have focused on the role of DTC promotion, which is a $4.8 billion business in the USA.

Commenting on the withdrawal of the campaign, Pfizer president of worldwide pharmaceutical operations Ian Read said: "the consumer advertising featuring Dr Jarvik, a well-respected heart expert and inventor of the Jarvik artificial heart, provided valuable and medically-accurate information about the risks of high cholesterol and how Lipitor can help patients reduce their risk of heart attack and stroke. Direct-to-consumer advertising is an important way to provide consumers with information about their health and treating disease, and at least 29 million Americans have talked to their physicians about a health condition for the first time after seeing a pharmaceutical advertisement."