John Mack (Pharma Marketing Blog) la emprende contra Sally Field y Boniva...

What If, God Forbid, Sally Field Broke Her Leg?

As written in wikipedia, "Break a leg" is a well-known saying in theatre which means "good luck." It is typically said to actors and musicians before they go out onto stage to perform.

I doubt, however, that anyone would say this to Sally Field before filming one of her BONIVA TV commercials. BONIVA, after all, is a drug designed to PREVENT bone fractures in women with postmenopausal osteoporosis.

Actually, the patient information page (on Genentech's site) linked to from the BONIVA Web site says "Boniva helps reverse bone loss in most women who take it, even though they won't be able to see or feel a difference. Boniva may help lower the chances of breaking bones (fractures)."

The part about preventing broken bones, however, is merely conjecture propagated by the marketers of BONIVA. They know that women with osteoporosis are prone to bone fractures and that's what gets them to take the drug.

But does BONIVA and other similar drugs such as Merck's FOSAMAX, Procter & Gamble’s ACTONEL, and Novartis' RECLAST actually INCREASE a woman's chance of breaking a bone?

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Anyway, back to Sally. She's been a spokesperson for BONIVA since 2006. So far, she hasn't broken a leg that I know of and I hope she doesn't break any bones in the future. It would be a devastating event both for her and for BONIVA, which is my focus here.

The problem with celebrity endorsements is that the celebrity may experience a side effect and become disgruntled and turn on the brand (see "Andy Behrman, Now an Anti-BMS Spokesperson, Says 'Ask Your Doctor If Abilify is Wrong for You'").

Sally has been taking BONIVA now for 4 years. Perhaps it is time for GSK to drop her before she becomes a liability. But, I wish her good luck. Break a leg, Sally!










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Tomé "prestado/ de Johm Mack