Date: February 08, 2006

Pfizer's advertisement for the erectile dysfunction drug Viagra in the Los Angeles Times and many other leading papers last weekend, prior to the Super Bowl XL on Sunday, received acute criticism from AHF, the nation's largest HIV/AIDS care provider. AHF strongly condemned Pfizer for promoting Viagra as a party drug that can lead to many sexually transmitted diseases like HIV/AIDS.

The full page color ad for Viagra features a suave man, above 40, beaming at the camera with the punch line, 'Be this Sunday's MVP.' Pfizer have earlier run ad campaigns dishing out the same message at the eve of Thanksgiving and the New Year. According to AHF, the scrupulously worded reminder, "ED is an issue with half of all men over 40,"is rather reckless and irresponsible. AHF lashes out at Pfizer's policy to promote Viagra by instilling fear and doubt of erectile dysfunction in the minds of the people.

AHF has reproved Pfizer's strategy to come up with such advertisement ahead of every festive occasion at the very outset. Pfizer precisely times the launch of the campaign for Viagra before the national holidays that are usually spent on partying, binge drinking and other excesses. It brings out the hidden motive of the company to capitalize on the popularity of Viagra to promote the drug as a recreational and party drug. The move of Pfizer is nothing short of promoting unsafe sex.

AHF has called on the FDA to immediately reconsider and withdraw the entire Viagra campaign of Pfizer. The group has already shot a letter to Andrew C. Von Eschenbach, M.D., Acting Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), on this regard. A letter on similar lines has also reached the office of Dr. Hank Mckinell, CEO of Pfizer. The Foundation still awaits a response from both quarters on this sensitive issue of public health. It will also carefully scrutinize the Viagra ads that can come up around the forthcoming holidays like Valentine's Day and St. Patrick's Day.

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