If the primary purpose of advertising a drug is to attract attention; This ad for Entyvio (vedolizumab) works.
A young woman is seen getting into a car, sitting in a cubicle at work, sitting in a restaurant, and finally in the waiting room of a doctor’s office. But she’s not sitting in a car seat or chair. In every scene, she sits on the toilet lid.
Strange, right?
Why are they all toilets?
The narration says, “When you live with moderate or severe Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis, your days can be filled with reminders of your condition. That’s what I’m thinking.” He gives a hint. And here’s another tip. The woman frowns and continues to hold her stomach.
But these clues may not be enough. What the ad never explains is that abdominal pain and sudden diarrhea are among the most common symptoms of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, collectively known as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). “Knowing nothing and always wondering” refers to the fact that people with these conditions often have unpredictable bouts of diarrhea or sudden urges to go to the bathroom. And that’s why there are toilets everywhere.
What do I understand correctly about this ad?
This ad provides useful information such as:
- How this treatment works. Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis are two forms of IBD that cause inflammation of the intestinal tract. Vedolizumab is given by infusion every two months and works by blocking cells involved in inflammation. This ad uses visually appealing animations and graphics to convey these points.
- Side effects. The FDA requires all drug advertisements to describe common and potentially serious side effects. For vedolizumab, possible side effects include infusion reactions, allergic reactions, liver problems, and increased susceptibility to infections. The ad highlights an infection called PML, calling it a “rare, serious, and potentially fatal brain infection.”
- advantage. The voiceover says, “In clinical trials, Entyvio helped many people achieve long-term symptom relief and remission.”
What else do I need to know?
Like most drug ads, this ad does not provide all the important information you need to know about this drug, especially if you have IBD, which this drug may help.
First, the ad never explains that diarrhea and abdominal pain are the most common symptoms of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. And while the ads focus on frequent diarrhea, they never mention more serious complications such as:
- Bleeding, fistulas (abnormal connections between the intestines and other parts of the body), intestinal perforations, and intestinal obstructions
- Increased risk of colorectal cancer
- Inflammation of other parts of the body, including the joints and eyes.
The ad also omits:
- explain how Defined as moderate to severe Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.. Commonly, people with either of these conditions include people who have extensive intestinal inflammation, deep ulcers in the intestinal wall, or who have undergone surgery. Patients who have not responded to other standard treatments.
- Other ways to treat Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis. Steroids, azathioprine, infliximab, ustekinumab, risankizumab, and other drugs are also options to treat these diseases.
- of high cost Fees for this drug (up to $52,000 per year). For some people, health insurance may cover much of this cost, and discount programs are mentioned at the end of the ad (although eligibility details are not provided). Still, for many IBD patients, the cost of expensive drugs like Entyvio remains a major barrier to receiving optimal treatment.
Also problematic is that the ad glosses over two important points:
- Little information is provided about PML. The ad doesn’t even say what the words “progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy” represent. PML is a virus that can infect the brain and often cause death and severe neurological disease.
- what advantage Can the medicine be delivered? Only one sentence confidently talks about the benefits, without details. How often should I take this medication? peace of mind From their symptoms?How often do you experience remission Symptoms? And how long will these improvements last?
conclusion
The ad ends with a young woman driving home after a doctor’s appointment. She sits in a regular seat for the first time. She glanced in the rearview mirror and saw the toilet relegated to the back of her car and she smiled. The message is clear. She is better now because her doctor prescribed vedolizumab and she doesn’t have to worry about having to rush to the bathroom.
Of course, it doesn’t always work out like this in real life. Again, drug advertising is not meant to show real life. They are intended to promote products. This is reason enough to maintain a healthy skepticism about pharmaceutical advertising and instead rely on doctors and other unbiased sources for health information. National Institutes of Health website.