This year on General Hospital<\/em>, central character Anna Devane is stricken with a rare and life-threatening type of blood cancer. Gasp!<\/em> OK, this may not be shocking; dramatic, unlikely, and always tragic events are the norm on soap operas. But this one is a little different.<\/p>\n Prior to the tear-jerking diagnosis, the ABC daytime drama\u2014the longest running soap opera in the US\u2014made a deal with a pharmaceutical company to come up with her fate. And the company, Incyte Corporation, just so happens to make the only targeted therapy for fictional Anna\u2019s very real form of cancer. This did not sit well with two doctors.<\/p>\n In an opinion piece published this week in JAMA<\/em>, Sham Mailankody of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Vinay Prasad of Oregon Health & Science University systematically question the intent of the promotion. The piece ends with a call to arms to medical policy makers and regulators to try to stamp out these “creative” promotions.<\/p>\n These promotions have \u201ctangible effects on health care behavior and can lead to unintended consequences, including wasteful diagnostic testing, overdiagnosis, and inappropriate therapy,\u201d the pair argue. \u201cThe status quo appears increasingly untenable: direct-to-consumer advertising is a massive medical intervention with unproven public health benefit, dubious plausibility, and suggestive evidence of harm.\u201d<\/p>\n Incidentally, unlike overt drug advertisements, \u201cdisease awareness\u201d promotions and campaigns aren\u2019t regulated by the Food and Drug Administration.<\/p>\n Ruxolitinib is the only treatment that targets the underlying genetic mutation that causes PV. But it\u2019s only approved for use in patients with complications and who do not respond to standard treatments that manage symptoms. In the episode, Anna balked at treating just the symptoms. \u201cAlthough targeting the underlying mutation is attractive, the clinical benefit to patients, particularly those with early disease, remains speculative,\u201d Mailankody and Prasad clarify. \u201cCarefully conducted trials, which have not yet occurred, are required to justify an expanded role of this medication.\u201d<\/p>\n Moreover, the symptoms for this blood disease can be vague and diagnoses can be tricky, opening a real possibility for over-diagnoses and treatment, the doctors warn.<\/p>\n Read full article and learn more about\u00a0Deceptive Advertising here<\/a>.<\/p>\n By now it should be clear how important it is for you to be FTC compliant. But how can you do that without spending $7,500-$8,000 or more on Internet Attorneys?<\/p>\n Smart business owners around the world are doing it with the help of FTC Guardian.<\/p>\n FTC Guardian is a service that is 100% focused on helping to keep you get and stay FTC compliant and fully protected. And right now, we are offering a free training to give you the knowledge, information, and guidance that you need to stay out of trouble with the Federal Trade Commission.<\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"\/images\/button_banner-Data_Broker.png\")
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