Cordis Takes Cypher to the Public

The best theories: to counter the negative publicity drug-eluting stents have received over the past year and a half, especially now that new data to counter it has come to light, and to keep Cypher fresh in potential patients' minds once two new competitors, Abbott's Xience and Medtronic's Endeavor, hit the market. J&J's chief medical officer tells the Times that in so many words. Both new competitors should be on the market by the second quarter of next year.The ad has come under some criticism, however. The Times calls it "mystifyingly vague" and quotes a doctor who is against direct-to-consumer advertising for drugs and devices. But the article does acknowledge that it is impossible to explain what a drug-eluting stent does in 60 seconds, so perhaps the best course is to refer patients to their doctors.Will it work? We'll see, but an effort earlier this year by Medtronic to promote its implantable defibrillators directly to the public didn't, really.