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Biotech / Medical : VVUS: VIVUS INC. (NASDAQ) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Anaxagoras who wrote (2384)	11/11/1997 10:52:00 AM
From: Mark A. Stang	Read Replies (3) \| Respond to of 23519

The Tree That Makes No Sound Has No One Around and Gets Felled. Friends, I am not suggesting that VVUS launch an expensive ad campaign when demand for current output is high. There is a distinction between PR and advertising, although advertising can be part of a PR campaign. I am talking about a laser-focused PR approach that challenges (i) every misstatement about Muse (including misleading unrepresentative anecdotes a la Newsweek's proclamation that Muse doesn't work for Bob Bowman), (ii) every omission of Muse from any article/report that purports to give an overview of ED therapies, (iii) Padma "Pad My Wallet" Nathan's credibility and integrity in apparently allowing a personal vendetta to skew his medical judgment, (iv) any misstatement or overstatement about Viagra or other potential competitiors, preferably using the competitor's own documented information to refute hype. All it takes is a letter to the "journalist" copied to his editor and others up the chain of command. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Does anyone doubt that this principle applies to the reputation and public image of VVUS?

To: Anaxagoras who wrote (2384)	11/11/1997 10:12:00 PM
From: Tunica Albuginea	Respond to of 23519

Anaxagoras, you surprised me. Never expected this 180 ' degree turnaround from you. I got to grant it to you though: one of the most intelligent posts in the Vivus thread in a long time.Totally agree with you. TA

To: Anaxagoras who wrote (2384)	11/11/1997 11:52:00 PM
From: Zebra 365	Read Replies (4) \| Respond to of 23519

Anaxagoras I agree with your position. I have had to tell two patients already (one today) that there is no pill on the market yet and they were not pleased with that. They felt that they saw an ad for a pill. One mentioned some Peter Jennings spot, I suppose many of you saw it, I didn't. But the interesting thing is that these are patients who never brought up the issue before, and they have had the problem before. Point is that the awareness level will be raised, and the VVUS advertising dollars will be that much more effective after Pfizer has raised the issue. The pie is expanding, and remember, this is not just a demand driven market, these meds still are tailored to the patient by physicians. BigKNY3, regards your saying that Pfizer has "nothing to do" with this media blitz, sorry but this kind of PR is done by drug companies all the time, it's like "soft" campaign dollars, not really out of bounds but not quite in either. Seminar presentations, analysts meetings, not exactly hiding the light under a bush. And its so easy to sell to the media, the story has sex, money, doctors, baby boomers and vaudeville (priapism stories are funny, like hemorrhoids, unless it happens to you), no Pfizer is not paying for it, but... BTW I talked to my Pfizer rep today and he obviously has already been trained to detail Viagra (though in fairness he did not bring it up until I did, he was only detailing on Aricept and Cardura) Now I know you VVUS bulls are going to give me some Ann Landers stuff about what "Doctors Should Be Discussing" about ED. With managed care (ie discounted fees and high volume demands) its not gonna happen. You can kiss your schedule goodbye if you bring up sexual function. Why? Because everyone wants to know if they are "normal" and there goes 30 minutes, been there done that. Let them get the info from Vivus or Pfizer first. I don't discuss sex because it kills the schedule, not because I am embarrassed, or I have no training. And no one will make an appointment specifically for impotence, they just want to slip it in on the side of their visit for hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia and a new cough (got to get full use out of that $10 co-pay). I think the stock is forming a new base here, and waiting on news. If Greenspan is quick and appropriate, the recovery may proceed. Zebra