Consumer Reports have created a sort of video film review for a popular US television drug ad, where they update the commercial with scientific findings that aren’t mentioned.
The advert is for a drug that aims to treat ‘restless legs syndrome’, and both the condition and the drug are apparently being heavily marketed in the US at the moment.
Consumer Reports have their own take on the ad, noting that the side-effects of the drug can be worse than the condition itself, and highlighting that although trials showed the drug was effective in up to 73% of people, placebo was effective in up to 57% of people.
It’s great to see a counter-point to this sort of advertising, especially when it’s produced so well.
Link to Consumer Reports page with embedded video (via TWS).
Mind Hacks 
Excellent find. I found it interesting reading the comments on the CR blog. The first by “Shelly” sounds like an industry representative, a classic PR counter-response. (These are often the subject of the PR Watch bog.)