Bayer Pharmaceuticals, the maker of the Mirena IUD, has teamed up with the Mommy marketing site “Mom Central” to sponsor house parties to sell women the Mirena IUD.
According to a warning letter sent to Bayer by the FDA about the worded content of the events –
The Mirena program is a live presentation designed for a consumer audience of “busy moms.” The program is presented in a consumer’s home or other private setting (e.g. private restaurant party) by a representative from Mom Central (a social networking internet site) and a nurse practitioner (Ms. Barb Dehn). The Mirena program submitted to FDA also references a presentation given by a fashion stylist (Ms. Angela Hastings) that immediately follows Ms. Dehn’s presentation regarding the use of Mirena. The script of Ms. Hastings’ presentation regarding fashion tips was not submitted to FDA.
The events start with an intro by a Mom Central rep –
This party was brought to you by Mom Central in partnership with Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals’ Mirena which may help couples keep life simple!”…Barb Dehn is a practicing Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner, award-winning author and nationally recognized health expert from San Francisco. Barb is going to kick things off with a discussion about romance and how to find simple ways to reconnect with our partners.”
Nurse Barb gets the group talking about intimacy by asking icebreaking questions that include the following –
“If you didn’t have to worry about contraception, do you think you would be more likely to be intimate with your partner?”
“Do you think if you didn’t have to worry about taking your birth control everyday, it would help you be more intimate?”
Then, this scripted segway –
“So you mentioned that convenience and reliability are among the most important benefits of your birth control method. One strategy that I recommend for busy couples is choosing a birth control method that allows for spontaneous intimacy and which you don’t have to think about every day, such as the intrauterine contraceptive Mirena®.”
The FDA letter goes on to cite the scripted Mirena info for failing to disclose all the relevant risks of Mirena.
Mom Central had found me through this blog and asked me if I would be interested in hosting an event sponsored by Mirena. As I welcome any opportunity to sit down with some girlfriends with some free food and drink, I was happy to accept….We had an amazing evening, talking about sex, fashion, and living a simpler life. I realized that we don’t actually spend a lot of time talking about sex and relationships. We laughed a lot but also went home with some great tips
Using moms to sell pharmaceutucals? Bayer has gone too far.
OMG… You know how some of these sorts of parties offer prizes and show you how to use whatever the product is? I'm just imagining the lucky person who wins a free implantation in front of all her friends.
Was it Airplane that had the scene with the Peace Corps volunteer doing a supperware presentation in Africa somewhere?
one tUpperw@re party was enough for me, for a lifetime. i escaped with dignity intact and a few kitchen items.
at least that party offered more than one choice; no prescriptions or invasive medical procedures were required; and nobody had to talk about [or listen to] sponeneity in the love life. geesh.
HI, I'm Nurse Barb, a practicing Women's Health Nurse Practitioner and I'm the person who presented at the party you wrote about. I'm very careful in all my presentations to talk about the entire range of birth control options because of the legal and regulatory laws from the FDA.
It was question and answer get together and as inevitably happens, lots of moms had questions about sex. I'm a health educator and saw this as an opportunity to answer their questions.
Bardiac – you are a hoot! It was Airplane with the Tupperware demonstration in Africa!
I thought the same thing – what does the hostess get? Three months worth of birth control method of choice? And if Mom Central gets two more party bookings at your party, do you get a free mammogram or some more free wine?
Wow. The times they are a'changin..
– OBS Housekeeper
Just think of the synergies…you have a Lia Sofia jewelry party, adult toys party and birth control party all at one place! How convenient…
If this is a conversation starter that talks about all forms of birth control, sexuality, both pro and con, then I would call it women's advocacy. If you just talk about Bayer's product, I call it flat out irresponsible.
Where is the specific dialogue about the individual patient, what about confidentiality, what about having the nerve to talk about BC in front of a crowd of women you are social with.
As someone in the pharma industry, it is stories and practices like this that make it difficult to maintain credibility as a science driven sector of the economy. This isn't healthcare, it's peer pressure. And you know me, I am ALWAYS on the side of the pharma company.
the bottom line is that "parties" like this are meant to sell a particular product. and i'd like to note, shruggling and i have found a point of agreement!
i have real problems with direct-to-consumer advertising about medical procedures and prescriptions — billboards and magazine ads are bad enough, but birth control parties are over teh top. it would make my heart happier if the money going into parties and billboards went instead to supporting comprehensive sex education for everyone, and birth control choices for anyone in need.
http://pharmagossip.blogspot.com/2010/01/bayer-mirena-iud-beyond-tupperware.html
My take!
Cheers
Insider – Love the picture you chose for your post!
Bardiac – I love that movie. The Jive scene, the coffee scene, the Turkish Bath talk…Think I'll rent it this weekend and laugh my head off.
Anon – In this type of marketing, the hostess generally doesn't get much – but Mom Central probably cleans up (and I don't mean they pick up the dirty plates and cups, if you get my drift…)
Schrugglin'
I was curious what you would say. Finally, something you and I can agree on. That deserves a drink, I would say. Pastistio throw down, here we come!
Kathy a –
I know, it's nice to agree ofro once, isn't it?
Cringing. Not much else to say.