Dr. Robert Jarvik's Statement

So, it seems that under Congressional pressure Pfizer has pulled the Lipitor ads which made my surname a household word.... Here's what my cousin has to say on his website about the controversy:

For the past two years, I have been the national spokesman for Lipitor.

My work in the field of artificial hearts spans 36 years, including inventions contributing to the first permanent total artificial heart used in a patient (the Jarvik 7 heart), and the invention, development, and clinical application of a miniature, silent heart assist device (the Jarvik 2000 heart) that has sustained a patient in good health for 7-and-a-half years, much longer than any other artificial heart in the world.

I do not practice clinical medicine and hence do not treat individual patients. My career is in medical science. I have earned Bachelors, Masters, and MD degrees, and I have received honorary Doctor of Science, Doctor of Engineering, and Doctor of Medicine degrees. I am presently President and CEO of the company that manufactures the Jarvik 2000 heart. I have collaborated closely with many top surgeons and cardiologists from dozens of leading medical centers in the United States, Europe, and Asia. I have been named Inventor of the Year and have received a Lifetime Research Achievement Award among other honors. The Jarvik 7 and Jarvik 2000 hearts have been displayed at the Smithsonian Institution as part of their exhibit called “Treasures of American History.”

I have the training, experience, and medical knowledge to understand the conclusions of the extensive clinical trials that have been conducted to study the safety and effectiveness of Lipitor. Also, Pfizer submits advertising concepts in advance to the FDA for review and comment. The statements included in the ads fairly represent the scientific truth about Lipitor, which the public has a right to know, and which Pfizer is entitled to teach.

I accepted the role of spokesman for Lipitor because I am dedicated to the battle against heart disease, which killed my father at age 62 and motivated me to become a medical doctor. I believe the process of educating the public is beneficial to many patients and I am pleased to be part of an effort to reach them.

I am not a celebrity. I am a medical scientist specializing in advanced technology to treat heart failure who understands that no one in his or her right mind would want an artificial heart if it could be avoided with preventive medicine.

Robert Jarvik, MD
Source: Jarvik Heart, Inc.
Date: 1/14/2008

We haven't spoken in years, but when I was younger Robbie once said he was a fan of Ayn Rand, so I assume he's preparing for any upcoming Congressional testimony with Howard Roark in mind. Maybe Pfizer will send Senator Bob Dole (Viagra) and Mandy Patinkin (Crestor) to sit next to him at the witness table, that might make for an interesting hearing on C-Span. In any case, I believe Robbie would not have been asked to do any drug ads in the first place if anyone at Pfizer though he were a practicing physician, since it's against AMA ethical guidelines to pitch drugs...