On February 25, 2008, Pfizer announced the withdrawal of certain commercials for its cholesterol drug Lipitor because it may have mislead consumers about the drug. The commercials featured Dr. Robert Jarvik as a spokesman, who is not a cardiologist and is not licensed to practice medicine.

A Congressional Committee looking into the use of celebrity endorsements in medical advertising began with the Jarvik ads because the committee was concerned consumers may be misled by the medical advice Jarvik offers.

In the commercials, consumers are led to believe Jarvik invented the first artificial heart. The commercials later were changed after former colleagues complained to say he invented the ?Jarvik artificial heart.? Also, the commercials depict a man rowing who appears to be Jarvik, but is actually a body double.

Pfizer pulled the commercials after information about the potential deceptive marketing surfaced.

Sources: ?Pfizer dumps Jarvik after numerous lies exposed,? BrandweekNRX, February 26, 2008 (http://www.brandweeknrx.com/2008/02/pfizer-dumps-ja.html); Stephanie Saul, ?Pfizer to end Lipitor ads by Jarvik,? New York Times, February 26, 2008 (http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/25/business/25cnd-pfizer.html?_r=1&8au&emc=au&oref=slogin); ?Pfizer loses heart, drops Jarvik ads,? FDANews.com, February 27, 2008 (http://fdanews.com/newsletter/article?issueId=11347&articleId=104397).