EXHIBIT 17 (From J.A.M.A., August 6, 1960) WHY WE SOMETIMES ASK QUESTIONS Every statement that appears in A.M.A. This is why you can rely on what you here is a typical section of the A.M.A. Principles Governing Advertising in A.M.A. Publications that protects their readers against superlative, misleading or inaccurate claims Suitability of Advertising Copy After a product or service has been declared eligible to be advertised in the scientific publications of A.M.A., each specific ad must be approved. As in the case of eligibility, the A.M.A. makes the final decision regarding the suitability of copy, layout, and art work, guided in all cases by the following principles: 1. The advertisement should clearly identify the 2. Advertisements should not be deceptive or misleading. Layout, art work and format should be such as to avoid confusion with the editorial content of the publication. 3. Unfair comparisons or the blatant and unwarranted disparagement of a competitor's products or services will not be allowed. 4. Sweeping superlatives or extravagantly worded copy will not be allowed. Any claims for superiority must be supported by evidence acceptable to the Association. 5. Quotations or excerpts from a published paper are acceptable only if they do not distort the meaning intended by the author. Claims made within quotations must conform to the same standards as unquoted claims. 6. Advertisements will not be accepted if they appear to conflict with the principles of medical ethics. A.M.A. American Medical Association 535 North Dearborn Street Chicago 10, Illinois WE ACCEPT NO SUBSTITUTES Only data of the highest quality is acceptable as proof of claims for advertisements appearing in your A.M.A. scientific publications. This is how A.M.A. advertising policies help to confirm for you the authenticity of statements made in A.M.A. publication ads. You can rely on what you read about the products that are advertised in the pages of A.M.A. scientific journals. This section quoted from the "Principles Governing Advertising in A.M.A. Publications" shows you why... The A.M.A. is responsible for applying principles and standards to advertising copy submitted for publication in A.M.A. scientific journals. It will do so in accordance with the following procedures: 1. Submission of Data-The A.M.A. requires that scientific data be submitted to substantiate claims made for new products (such as drugs, devices, or foods) or new claims for products which have previously appeared in A.M.A. scientific journals. 2. Type of Data Needed-Data should irclude pertinent reports, published and unpublished, favorable and unfavorable, of laboratory and clinical investigations covering the efficacy and relative safety of the product (drug, device, or food) under consideration. These data should be based upon sound studies and should be sufficiently comprehensive to permit a critical evaluation of the subject matter. While the quantity of the scientific data required will depend on the type of product, the nature of the medical problem involved, and the claims made in the advertising copy, the quality of the evidence is regarded as highly important; in this respect, the importance of suitable controls is emphasized. Compilations of individual case reports are ordinarily not considered acceptable evidence. You may wish to request a copy of the complete Principles of Advertising. Write Advertising Director, American Medical Association. American Medical Association 535 North Dearborn Street Chicago 10, Illinois |