Drug Discovery and Development

  • Home Drug Discovery and Development
  • Drug Discovery
  • Women in Pharma and Biotech
  • Oncology
  • Neurological Disease
  • Infectious Disease
  • Resources
    • Video features
    • Podcast
    • Voices
    • Views
    • Webinars
  • Pharma 50
    • 2025 Pharma 50
    • 2024 Pharma 50
    • 2023 Pharma 50
    • 2022 Pharma 50
    • 2021 Pharma 50
  • Advertise
  • SUBSCRIBE

Novartis Heart Failure Ad Gets Negative Reviews from Doctors, Patients

By Drug Discovery Trends Editor | February 9, 2016

‘Alarming. Horrifying.’ These are some of the adjectives used to describe a recently launched Novartis TV and advertising campaign for heart failure drug, Entresto.

While those who signed off on the campaign likely were trying to get sharp reactions, they’re getting a little more than they bargained for: criticism from doctors, including the cardiologist who led the key trial testing the company’s heart failure drug, reports CardioBrief.

Novartis's ad for Entresto. Sponsored by Novartis, KeepItPumping.com

In the commercial, a man sits reading a newspaper while water rises slowly in his living room, illustrating the threat of heart failure. His dog climbs to higher ground, whining in fear, but the man stays oblivious. A heart beats in the background as a voiceover says:

“With heart failure, danger is always on the rise. Symptoms worsen because your heart isn’t pumping well. About 50 percent of people die within five years of getting diagnosed. But there’s something you can do. Talk to your doctor about heart failure treatment options. Because the more you know the more likely you are to keep it pumping.”

Milton Packer, a cardiologist at Baylor University in Dallas, has been a prominent advocate of Entresto and led its trial, but he told CardioBrief, “This ad really disturbs me. It is alarmist, and I am not certain that is a good thing for patients.”

Two other doctors quoted in the blog said they “found the ad to be horrifying and crafted to evoke fear and uncertainty” and that it’s “irresponsible to play on the fears of patients in such a brazen and manipulative way.”

Packer also takes issue with direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertising, saying “there’s good reason to tell patients that there may be new options for them for heart failure treatment,” but that discussion “first needs to take place among physicians before the message is delivered to patients.”

In a similar vein, the American Medical Association (AMA) voted in November to call for a ban on DTC advertising, as part of a plan to reduce drug costs. According to the AMA, DTC pushes the demand for expensive treatments instead of less-costly alternatives which may be just as effective.

 

Read the entire blog here, including a comment from Novartis.

You can watch the Entresto ad here.

What do you think? — Is the ad effective in creating awareness of the dangers of heart failure? Or is it unnecessarily alarmist?


Filed Under: Drug Discovery

 

Related Articles Read More >

Swissmedic approves first malaria treatment for infants
Korean team reports all-in-one cancer nanomedicine in pre-clinical studies
Nektar’s Phase 2b atopic dermatitis win triggers 1,746% analyst target surge, but legal tussle with ex-partner Lilly could complicate path forward
Dupixent approved to treat bullous pemphigoid
“ddd
EXPAND YOUR KNOWLEDGE AND STAY CONNECTED
Get the latest news and trends happening now in the drug discovery and development industry.

MEDTECH 100 INDEX

Medtech 100 logo
Market Summary > Current Price
The MedTech 100 is a financial index calculated using the BIG100 companies covered in Medical Design and Outsourcing.
Drug Discovery and Development
  • MassDevice
  • DeviceTalks
  • Medtech100 Index
  • Medical Design Sourcing
  • Medical Design & Outsourcing
  • Medical Tubing + Extrusion
  • Subscribe to our E-Newsletter
  • Contact Us
  • About Us
  • R&D World
  • Drug Delivery Business News
  • Pharmaceutical Processing World

Copyright © 2025 WTWH Media LLC. All Rights Reserved. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of WTWH Media
Privacy Policy | Advertising | About Us

Search Drug Discovery & Development

  • Home Drug Discovery and Development
  • Drug Discovery
  • Women in Pharma and Biotech
  • Oncology
  • Neurological Disease
  • Infectious Disease
  • Resources
    • Video features
    • Podcast
    • Voices
    • Views
    • Webinars
  • Pharma 50
    • 2025 Pharma 50
    • 2024 Pharma 50
    • 2023 Pharma 50
    • 2022 Pharma 50
    • 2021 Pharma 50
  • Advertise
  • SUBSCRIBE