Tuesday, June 30, 2009

The Infer Game


What really gets me upset is that marketing people infer something but don't outright make a claim.

They do this because to make a claim which isn't true is grounds for the FTC to investigate you, but if you "infer" something, you don't make the claim....
Why do I jump on this?

Because I don't play "infer" for my patients.

In fact, health information and healthcare is too important to "infer" anything. You cannot manipulate peoples' trust in you....

Either we can justify via science and current medical practice or we cannot. Why let people dangle in the wind with false information.....


But this little game is nothing new. Vitamin hucksters and weight loss supplements play this "infer" game too.....so I guess the DTC genomics companies want to be seen as Hucksters....otherwise, why infer something which isn't true......


This went on with Navi's most recent blog post

It is possible that the Factor V mutation also confers a selective advantage to people who carry one copy, but scientists just aren’t sure yet.

If you carry the mutation, you can take steps to prevent becoming ill as a result. And, if you meet someone else who carries the mutation too, it’ll be a little like finding a long-lost brother or sister! Somewhere back in the human genetic family tree, the two of you have a “Factor V” ancestor in common.

The inferring that goes on is that there is some treatment that can prevent clots in these patients with Factor V Leiden. The truth is, there is no treatment to prevent these clots whose benefits outweigh the risks........

I already made this point with 23andMx's goofy CEO Anne Wojicki who made claims in a similar fashion on Charlie Rose the other night....

Pay attention closely, if the FTC doesn't jump in and investigate these companies' suspicious practices.........I will be surprised......very surprised....

Are you pissed at the inferring game too? Well, you too can voice a complaint to the FTC....

The Sherpa Says: DTC genomics companies are lucky that their product doesn't cause arrythmias, sudden death, liver failure or loss of smell.......But even if they don't their marketing claims certainly still do stink......

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Dude, I think you mean "imply" not "infer".

Anonymous said...

Navigenic's post says "take steps", not treatments. Take steps could mean quit smoking, lose weight, etc. Those have all been shown to synergistically increase the risk of VTE with FVL so taking steps to eliminate those secondary risk factors will decrease risk of VTE.

Of course that doesn't make up for their long lost brother/sister pitch - that's just blatant nonsense and is like saying if you have blue eyes and meet someone else who has blue eyes then you just found a long lost brother/sister! Their pitch isn't fuzzy logic, it's just immature marketing.

Steve Murphy MD said...

@ Dude,
Good point. What I mean is that they want YOU to Infer from their BS marketing....

Steve Murphy MD said...

@Take Steps

Could you show me or refer to the studies which show that weight loss or smoking cessation in those with FVL reduce incidence of clots?

Just Curious,
-Steve

Anonymous said...

@SMMD

Just to name a few:

Hormone Therapy, FVL and Risk of Thrombosis: PMID 16551553

Smoking, FVL and Risk of Thrombosis: PMID 17726684

Obesity, FVL and Risk of Thrombosis: PMID 14996674, 17897305

Curiosity could end up saving the cat.

Steve Murphy MD said...

@Anonymous


The conclusion from 16551553 is......

"thus, more research is required in this area before accurate estimates of the risk can be made."

And it was a meta analysis

"An extensive search was carried out on all major electronic databases including MEDLINE 1995 to October 2005 and BIS (EMBASE) 1980 to October 2005."

Not case controlled.

Lastly this was disqualified by AHRQ....

So too are you now disqualified....

Read the studies first and now the field, then you can try to counter....

Because curiosity often KILLS the cat.

Anonymous said...

I'd tell ya to take a chill pill but there aren't any case controlled studies showing it will help ya.