As Seen on TV, an occasional column, brings you the inside story behind TV drug ads.
I
f the orange-and-white pills sold as Lyrica for nerve pain were their own standalone drug company, they’d be the industry’s sixth biggest advertiser.
Pfizer spent an estimated $343 million-plus last year advertising the blockbuster drug to patients with fibromyalgia and diabetic nerve pain. Only Bristol-Myers Squibb, AbbVie, Eli Lilly, and Allergan spent more on their entire ad budgets.
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Once we get FDA approval to do product placement advertising on your favorite TV shows nary a half hour will go by when you won’t be exposed to our “beautiful landscapes”.