Expert advice in a MultiCultClassics Monologue…
• Starbucks will close from 5:30-8:30 pm today to retrain baristas. “We will close all of our US company-operated stores to teach, educate and share our love of coffee and the art of espresso,” said CEO Howard Schultz. Nice to know customers have been paying high prices and waiting in long lines to receive products poured by uneducated Starbucks staffers.
• Drug maker Pfizer is pulling Dr. Robert Jarvik, inventor of the artificial heart, from its ads for Lipitor. “When consumers see and hear a doctor endorsing a medication, they expect the doctor is a credible individual with requisite knowledge of the drug,” said Democratic Rep. Bart Stupak, who was among the politicians criticizing the ads. Jarvik will probably be replaced with additional legal disclaimers and unknowledgeable Starbucks baristas.
In 30 days the FDA will be deciding if drug ads on TV should include a 1-800 number and website where consumers can report side effects. Of course, the drug companies have no interest in putting this information in their ads. That’s why Consumers Union is fighting the influence of the drug industry by delivering 50,000 signatures to the FDA in support. Add your name to the list now at www.PrescriptionForChange.org.
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