Corey Binns on February 7, 2008 2:00 PM
Comments (0)
Yes, Dr Robert Jarvik invented an artificial heart. But should he be the face of Pfizer's cholesterol drug Lipitor? Congress isn't so sure.
The House Committee on Energy and Commerce has asked Mr Jarvik to answer questions regarding his job as poster boy for the pill.
In the hot seat, Jarvik will probably be questioned about his medical credentials--he is not licensed to practice medicine nor is he a cardiologist--as well as his athleticism. In the ads, Jarvik appears to rowing a shell when in fact body doubles from Lake Washington Rowing Club were hired to do the work.
“He’s about as much an outdoorsman as Woody Allen,” said a longtime collaborator, Dr. O. H. Frazier of the Texas Heart Institute. “He can’t row.”
Continue reading 'Congress questions Lipitor's spokesman and his sportsmanship' >
Maia Szalavitz on November 9, 2007 2:42 PM
Comments (0)
Ok, I’m going to stop soon. Really, I promise. But I just had to do one last curious- positive-finding-about-drugs-post this week.
Turns out, according to research published in Heart and Circulatory Physiology, exercise benefits the heart via endogenous opioids. At least in rats, if you give the opioid-blocker naltrexone while they exercise, the cardioprotective effects of exercise don't show up when their hearts are later challenged.
That’s right, it seems like the fun part of running is also the healthy part. Which, of course, raises the inevitable question: would taking exogenous opioids-- ie, heroin, Oxycontin, morphine-- provide the same benefit? Wouldn’t it be ironic if William Burroughs’ claim that “dope preserves” turned out to have some truth to it?
Continue reading 'Runner’s “high” protects the heart.. umm, what about heroin?' >
