Here’s a NPR story (audio) about Jarvic’s endorsment of Lipitor, and a wiki article about the doctor himself.
What do you think? Sellout, or not?
I think it’s very easy to criticize another for making a bunch of money, but I don’t know if that commercial will be in any harmful to patients.
In general, I support drug commercials because they help put more information out there and reduce our dependence on one doctor or HMO for that info.
We did this about a year ago. I only know this because I just now started seeing the commercials, and was like “oooh, that’s what they were all upset about…”
So I see. I did search “jarvic”, but forgot to select “anytime”.
No harm. I’ll just await any action by the mods, and see if the replies are ant different here in IMHO then in the pit.
The guy sure looks personable enough.
Some poster over there berated Jarvic rather nastily for being bald? WTF, you can’t do that here in IMHO, can you?
Should have done a search for “Jarvik.” 
Should have read post #3.
Should have checked the spelling.
Normally by this time I would do a mercy killing.
But I’m bored.
Jarvik is one giant ego wrapped in a thin layer of skin. What’s to be surprised about?
I’ve read the above linked thread in the pit, plus a bunch of other stuff about Jarvic, and what really troubles me about the guy is, as Hentor the Barbarian points out, this:
I mean, you can’t trust a balding man, can you?
Peace,
mangeorge
Okay, I don’t know if I’m being whooshed, or if mangeorge is oblivious, but the point that Happy Scrappy Hero Pup was making, which I tried to call attention to, is that it’s spelled Jarvik.
K, not C.
O.C., already-we get the point.
[steve martin]Sorrry[/sm].
I’m just glad I’m not the only one who thinks this guy Jarvik is a loser.
I missed the first go round of this one, but read it all, and am thankful, because the link there on Paul Winchell , and his contribution to the artificial heart, was something I’d forgotten. As well as many other contibutions: I read that whole site, wonderful.
I certainly remember his ventriloquist act and shows, as a kid, and loved him. He was brilliant at that, and to find that he later applied his best mind to creating an artificial heart, out of a good inventive mind, and succeeded, is marvelous. I wish he’d gotten just accolades for that. On that site, his paintings are shown; photo-realism, but very precise.
And, the voice of Tigger (Winnie-the-Pooh fame) “They’re bouncy, trouncy, flouncy, pouncy
Fun, fun, fun, fun, fun!”
What a remarkably fine man, with great heart; lived to be 82.
Yep, perhaps a detour, but pertinent, I think.
One thing for sure, you’re not the only one to not give a reason(Is that a double negative?). A reasoned reason. Most of the negatives over in the other thread are bashing.
The point of discussion is supposed to be whether or not Jarvi(k) is a sellout. A loser he is not. He’s got stuff. And a son. My co-worker say’s he’s nice looking. And his pump has prolonged a lot of lives.
The pit OP thread states that he is a fucking sellout. Close enough, I guess.
These days if you’re not a sellout to corporate interests, you’re a sellout to political correctness. Corporate interests pay better.
You sound bitter. Do you know him? Or, maybe you were just about to patent your artificial heart when he beat you to it?
Meh. I have a hard time getting worked up over him doing these commercials. His invention has helped a lot of people. The new class of cholesterol meds help a lot of people. So, the drug company has capitalized on his fame by using him in their commercials. He’s been (presumably) well-compensated for these appearances, and has provided a service that the drug manufacturer has (presumably) benefited from. For them, it’s a win-win situation. For me, it’s a non-issue.
In short, no, I don’t think he’s a sell-out. I think he’s capitalized on his (well-earned) fame to insure his children never live on the streets. Seems like an OK decision to me. (Not that he’s been sitting around waiting for my blessing. . .)
How’s that different from the wining and dining that doctors receive from the hands of pharmaceutical representatitves? He’s just very public about it.
And that is a very important distinction.