Health

Industry Hopes to Censor Ads on Hazards of Infant Formula

by John Stauber — December 4, 2003 - 12:00am

"Federal officials have softened a national advertising
campaign to promote breastfeeding after complaints from two
companies that make infant formula, according to several
doctors and nurses who are helping the government with the
effort.

Main Source: 
New York Times, December 4, 2003

Breast Cancer Action Vs. Corporate "Pinkwashing"

by John Stauber — October 23, 2003 - 11:00pm

"To draw attention to the troubling trend of corporate 'pinkwashing,' Breast Cancer Action, a national grassroots breast cancer advocacy organization, is running an ad in the national edition of the New York Times questioning some high-profile corporate marketing campaigns launched in connection with Breast Cancer Awareness Month. 'We're not opposed to companies raising money for the cause,' said Barbara Brenner, Breast Cancer Action's executive director.

Main Source: 
BCA news release, October 24, 2003

Komen Foundation Carefully Manages Brand

by Laura Miller — October 5, 2003 - 11:00pm

"The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation started with a small promise, but became a giant in the battle against breast cancer with a corporate approach to PR," PR Week reports. Part of that approach is consistency of message. "Making sure the logo and brand message are used properly by volunteer affiliates and corporate partners can be a challenge," PR Week writes. "The foundation currently is working on a perception benchmarking project to gauge consumer awareness and the brand's strengths and weaknesses, [the foundation's communications director Susan] Carter says.

Main Source: 
PR Week, October 6, 2003

Drug Company Vies For Media Spotlight

by Laura Miller — September 21, 2003 - 11:00pm

While the Food and Drug Administration is hearing testimonies on direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertising of prescription drugs, one pharmaceutical giant is hoping to gets its spin on drug marketing in the news. The FDA is reviewing DTC guidelines that cover the $2.7 billion that the pharmaceutical industry now spends annually on television, radio and print advertising.

Main Source: 
PR Week, September 22, 2003

Belated Courage

by Sheldon Rampton — September 9, 2003 - 11:00pm

Following recent revelations that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency misled the public about air quality in New York following the 9/11 terrorist attack, the New York Daily News has been crowing about how columnist Juan González "was the first to sound the alarm" that ground zero was a toxic dump after 9/11.

Main Source: 
Village Voice, September 10-16, 2003

Dust and Deception

by Sheldon Rampton — August 25, 2003 - 11:00pm

"Last week," notes columnist Paul Krugman, "a quietly scathing report by the inspector general of the Environmental Protection Agency confirmed what some have long suspected: in the aftermath of the World Trade Center's collapse, the agency systematically misled New Yorkers about the risks the resulting air pollution posed to their health.

Main Source: 
New York Times, August 26, 2003

EPA Failed New Yorkers On Post-9/11 Air Quality

by Laura Miller — August 25, 2003 - 11:00pm

Nearly two years after the collapse of the World Trade Center, the Environmental Protection Agency's inspector general reports that the failure of EPA officials to properly inform New Yorkers of the dangers of the fallout can be traced to inside the White House. "The news that White House staff ordered the EPA to minimize potential health dangers near Ground Zero was bad enough," NY Daily News' Juan Gonzalez writes.

Main Source: 
New York Daily News, August 26, 2003

Hot Flush for Big Pharma

by Sheldon Rampton — August 15, 2003 - 11:00pm

The sale of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to women is a multi-billion dollar cash cow for the pharmaceutical industry. What will its PR machine do in the face of evidence that long-term HRT use increases women's risk of blood clots, strokes, heart attacks, breast cancer, and dementia, and has no quality of life benefits?

Main Source: 
British Medical Journal, August 16, 2003

All Roads Lead To PhRMA

by Laura Miller — July 29, 2003 - 11:00pm

"When the House voted last week to let Americans import less expensive medicines from Canada and Europe, 53 senators signed a letter opposing the legislation, a letter that the industry trade group, which vigorously opposed the measure, hailed as proof of its argument that the bill would jeopardize patient safety," the New York Times' Sheryl Gay Stolberg reports. "What the trade group, the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers Association, did not say, at the time, was that it helped coordinate the signature campaign. ...

Main Source: 
New York Times, July 30, 2003

What Would Jesus Pay for Drugs?

by Sheldon Rampton — July 22, 2003 - 11:00pm

The Traditional Values Coalition, which bills itself as a Christian advocacy group, has received money behind the scenes from the pharmaceutical industry to campaign against legislation that would enable U.S. citizens to import low-cost prescription drugs from countries like Canada. The drug industry opposes the law because it would undercut the high prices they charge in the U.S.

Main Source: 
Washington Post, July 23, 2003
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