Uroxatral

AMP Honors Top-Rated Medical Ads at Awards Banquet

WESTFIELD, N.J., Oct. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- Salix and Pfizer led the pack last night when the Association of Medical Publications (AMP) announced the winners of the third annual The Doctors' Choice (TDC) Awards honoring excellence in medical journal advertising.

FCB HealthCare received three awards, placing it first among advertising agencies.

The winners--including pharmaceutical manufacturers and their advertising agencies (see attached list)-- were the result of a selection process among 314 medical ads representing the 200 most widely advertised products in 2004, with awards going to both the company and the agency. Awards were presented in 14 drug categories from anti-arthritics to urologicals and four page unit categories.

Barry Carollo, president of Audio Digital Communications, was the master of ceremonies at the evening's event, which was held at The Lighthouse, at Chelsea Piers in New York City. Over 300 people attended.

Unlike other award programs, TDC is evaluated by the doctors themselves-- prescribing physicians--who are the actual recipients of the ads.

Salix's single-page unit for Colozal, the grand prize winner with the highest scoring ad, also won top honors in the gastroenterologicals and single-page ad unit categories. Created by MedThink, a healthcare agency located in Raleigh, NC, the ad, which was headlined, "Total colon coverage," announced the effectiveness of the drug in the treatment of ulcerative colitis.

Pfizer also walked away with three top honors: two in the specialty areas of anti-infectives (Zyvox) and respiratory therapy (Spiriva, which is marketed by Pfizer/BI jointly), and one for the highest scoring two-page ad (Zvvox).

Merck (Vytorin for cardiovasculars--jointly marketed with Schering-Plough -- and Fosamax for obstetricals/gynecologicals), Sanofi-Aventis (Lantus for diabetic therapy and Uroxatral for urologicals) and Wyeth/Amgen (Enbrel for both anti-arthritics and dermatologicals) won two awards each in their respective drug categories.

On the agency side, FCB HealthCare's three awards included two in drug categories (Lidoderm for neurologicals and Fosamax for obstetricals/gynecologicals) and one, Valtrex, for the highest scoring three- page ad unit. Cline Davis & Mann (Zyvox), Harrison & Star (Avastin) and Saatchi & Saatchi Healthcare (Enbrel) garnered two awards each, winning awards for the same product in both drug and ad page unit categories.

Using an e-mail survey of practicing physicians, doctors were asked to rate over 300 representative ads that appeared in 2004. Over 7,560 physicians responded, evaluating ads appropriate to their specialties. The ads were judged on their ability to communicate, provide information, gain attention and encourage action.

Doctors were notified of the program via e-mail and journal ads, which directed them to the website.

The Association of Medical Publications includes 240 medical publications in addition to service companies associated with medical publishing. The association offers a forum for discussion of the challenges and opportunities facing publishers and serves as a platform to promote the value of medical advertising.

CONTACT: Julie Laitin, Julie A. Laitin Enterprises, Inc., +1-212-286- 2424, jlaitin@julielaitin.com

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