Drug companies defend TV advertisements before Congress

The advertisements pictured fatty meals alongside "relatives" with similar-sounding names -a frankfurter and Uncle Frank, for example -explaining that both diet and family can cause bad cholesterol. The promotions first ran in 2004 and helped push Vytorin sales to more than $5.1 billion last year.

Sales pitches from Pfizer and J&J also caught the unwanted attention of lawmakers.

Earlier this year, Pfizer discontinued its TV campaign for cholesterol drug Lipitor after Stupak and Dingell questioned the credentials of spokesman Dr. Robert Jarvik, the inventor of an artificial heart.

Democrats said that Jarvik was unqualified to give medical advice since he is not a licensed physician, though he did graduate from medical school.

Lawmakers also criticized J&J's Procrit ads for suggesting the anemia drug gives patients more energy and increases quality of life, a claim that is not approved by regulators.

J&J said it stopped airing the ads in 2005 and has no plans to put them back on.

Dingell asked all three executives to adopt new standards for marketing, but each said they did not have authority to make such commitments.

"Maybe we need to have another hearing with someone who can really speak on behalf of the companies," said Dingell, who chairs the Energy and Commerce Committee. "Perhaps the company presidents would be able to respond in a more helpful fashion."

Last year, Democrats tried unsuccessfully to pass a law that would ban consumer-directed advertisements in the three years after a drug's approval. They are expected to make a similar push later this year.

TV marketing has become a pillar of the pharmaceutical business since regulators first loosened rules to allow the practice a decade ago. Companies spent roughly $3.5 billion on spots last year.