Xeljanz (Tofacitinib) Rheumatoid Arthritis Commercial
Xeljanz TV commercial puts new kick in RA ads?
“Arms were made for hugging. Hands for holding. Feet, kicking. Better things than the joint pain and swelling of moderate to severe Rheumatoid Arthritis.” So begins the new Xeljanz direct to consumer TV ad. It’s rather different from the other Rheumatoid Arthritis drug commercials:
- It is black and white, except for the Xeljanz red.
- Feet co-star with hands.
- The message is rather philosophical, suggesting, “Life shouldn’t be painful & impossible.”
What do you think? Is the Xeljanz ad an improvement? Does it matter?
Patients have had some strong opinions about the ads for Rheumatoid Arthritis drugs, probably because they serve as a surrogate public service announcement. (The lack of an actual TV PSA is an interesting story we’ll revisit sometime.) What do you think about the message of the Xeljanz ad?
Recent news on Pfizer’s Xeljanz (tofacitinib)
- In July, Xeljanz was approved in Switzerland, Argentina, Kuwait, and United Arab Emirates.
- 61 percent of U.S. rheumatologists surveyed said they had prescribed Xeljanz, but only in an average of six RA patients. Three-fourths reported starting Xeljanz in five or fewer patients.
- Rheumatologists reported nearly 1/4 of current Xeljanz patients have never used biologics. This means they tried Xeljanz first after methotrexate failure.
- According to BioTrends, patients report “high satisfaction” rates and low “discontinuation rates.”
- In July, the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) confirmed its April 2013 opinion to recommend against approval of Xeljanz (tofacitinib) for the treatment of adults with moderate to severely active RA. CHMP recognized that Xeljanz treatment can reduce “signs and symptoms of RA” and improve “physical function of patients,” but there were safety concerns, including “serious infections.” Read more about the Xeljanz CHMP rejection here on RAW.
- Pfizer and Takeda Pharmaceuticals launched Xeljanz in Japan in late July; it had been approved earlier in 2013.
Compare Xeljanz commercial with an old Enbrel ad
What do you think? Piano. Happy music. People doing things we all want to do. Not famous like Phil, but not too dissimilar in a message about getting back to doing things that you want to. It differs from the Humira ads’ emphasis on possible joint destruction. But, remember that Xeljanz was approved to treat “signs and symptoms” of RA. Pfizer did not have sufficient evidence to claim that Xeljanz inhibits disease damage. That was the crux of the EMA decision, and unquestionably why the Xeljanz ad emphasizes symptoms.
Recommended reading
- More on Rheumatoid Arthritis treatment commercials
- Efficacy of Xeljanz, Biologics, & DMARDs in Rheumatoid Disease
- Xeljanz Rejected by European Medicines Agency
- Xeljanz Cost with a Copay Card, Free Samples, Efficacy, & Side Effects: Gathering Rheumatoid Arthritis Patient Stories
Asian Scientist. Oral Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatment XELJANZ Launched In Japan. 2013 Aug 6 [2013 Aug 18]. Available from: http://www.asianscientist.com/tech-pharma/oral-rheumatoid-arthritis-treatment-xeljanz-launched-japan-2013/Warner, M. Pfizer’s Arthritis Drug Xeljanz Approved in Switzerland, Argentina, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates. Wall Street Journal. 2013 Jul 15 [cited 2013 Aug 18]. Available from: http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20130715-702643.htmlReuters.BioTrends Research Group press release. Exton, PA. 2013 Jul 25 [cited 2013 Aug 18]. Available from: http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/07/25/pa-biotrends-pfizer-idUSnPNPH52891+1e0+PRN20130725Pfizer press release. CHMP Confirms Prior Opinion Regarding Marketing Authorization in Europe for Pfizer’s XELJANZ (tofacitinib citrate). Wall Street Journal. 2013 Jul 25 [cited 2013 Aug 18]. Available from: http://online.wsj.com/article/PR-CO-20130725-915749.html
I do not think pharm companies should be allowed to advertise on TV. Their commercials are often misleading. I know there are drugs that save lives but people have been killed and harmed by prescription drugs. It just seems to me that pharm companies are more interested in creating customers than curing disease.I am leaning more toward holistic and integrative medicine.
I like the new Xeljanz commercial. It has been the least offensive to me of all the RA commercials I have seen so far. I like the approach that hands and feet were meant to do such basic things, and with RA, those things you didn’t even think about before become painful or even impossible.
Not to go on a rant here, but the new Humira commercial spikes my blood pressure every time I see it. The women who says she has moderate to sever RA is whisking up pancake batter, squeezing fresh oranges for juice for breakfast, she is seated down very low on an ottoman while braiding her daughters hair, and after all this she springs up and heads out to play soccer. I hate these commercials presenting RA patients like this, it is such an inaccurate representation of anyone I know with moderate to severe RA. When people who don’t have RA meet those of us who do, they can’t help but compare us to the lady in the commercial and then wonder why we aren’t acting like she is. Does anyone in this group manually squeeze their own orange juice? Really?
You and I are on the same page with that stupid commercial! It sets back any education we have passed on to others about what RD really is…I often get ppl asking me if I tried…blah blah blah…whatever the RD ad of the day is..for my RD…give me a break please!
Nancy, you are completely right. When we move forward on trying to let the public know the reality of RA, a commercial like this comes out and sends us back to square one. It presents people with ‘moderate to severe’ RA as being full of energy, flexible, great dexterity, athletic, and obviously in no pain at all since they are doing all these things with a smile. Things like this humira commercial are a big reason we have such an uphill battle trying to convey the reality of moderate to severe RA. They can see on TV that it isn’t at all like we say it is!
Agree 100% with all of your comments. It is so very frustrating seeing these commercials that imply that if we only use their products, we’ll be “all better”. If only that were so.
I agree 100 percent. Humira and Orencia commercials are very misleading………If I hear “Oh yes I can” one more time I will throw up. I took both and “Oh no I cant”! Humira nearly destroyed my heart. I am on Xeljanz and so far the most effective of the three – what its doing inside – time will tell. For now I can walk and go to work – I spend the weekends mostly in bed, but at least right now I can work. Not the type I used to, but I can earn a pay check.
Elaine,
Thank you for articulating so clearly the problems with commercials like the Humira ad. While the Xeljanz commercial makes me realize that most of the movements and contact in the commercial are now painful, it doesn’t anger me. Perky soccer mom fills me with inarticulate (albeit exhausted) anger. I mostly employ the American Sign Language that once flowed so easily from my now swollen and pain-filled hands to express my views re the completely fabricated representation of a woman who likely does not know anything about this disease. My kingdom for a real representation of the disease! If I can’t have that, I would like a rheumatologist who is an RA patient him or herself. Just sayin’…
So how do we get Public Service Announcements that counter-act the misleading information? …. and I do mean “we”. I’ve often said that this critical mass of 20,000 plus people on social media with RA would be a force to be reckoned with if more political actions were planned and taken that enlist the support of all of us.
I find I have mixed feelings about this commercial…it is a bit more realistic than the others in a way..the current Humira one makes me want to gag…but once again it shows ppl doing things I wish I could do without much pain OR paying for it the next day. They do mention the fact that it can be used without MTX. I didn’t pick up that they do not mention inhibiting damage, but my ears generally tune out these commercials and my mind is saying “yeah, right…”
At my last rheum apt, my dr and I discussed some of the realistic goals with active RD. He brought up Xeljanz and said he just decided to prescribe it to 3 patients as they couldn’t tolerate MTX. He said he hesitated doing this because the FDA is putting any side effects lawsuits solely on the drs with no responsibility of the FDA or the manufacturer. Apparently the other biologics are not this way.
Oh no, as I sit here and type here comes Humira commercial again…I think I need to go and turn off the TV……
I forgot to mention the feet…at least they mention feet…
Id be more impressed if it showed hands and feet with deformities that many of us have.
They are targeting “Moderate to Severe” in the commercials not “newly diagnosed or early stages” A biologic may help me but it doesn’t reverse the damage and the pain from the damage already done. But then that wouldn’t make for a pretty commercial would it. A new drug might have me feeling better and able to participate in more activities but the damage is too far gone. It won’t have me hiking or dosing the salsa. They are targeting “Moderate to Severe” in the commercials not “newly diagnosed or early stages”
Totally agree.
I agree with all of you. The commercial for Xeljanz is a moderate improvement in the sense that it is not as offensive and unrealistic as some of the others. Reality is no one wants to see a commercial with deformed feet playing footsie, or gnarled hands reaching out to touch a loved one. (Well, WE’D like to see this on t.v., but we are not the general viewing audience!) I do wish they would not have shown the mom strapping herself into a pair of high heels and dancing with her child. How many of us with mod/severe R.A. can even dream to do that??? I recently attended a wedding in Mexico where I was a bridesmaid. The shoe issue had me stressing out so much. I bought a pretty “dream shoe” after an exhaustive search, but I also took a clunkier “plan B shoe” and a downright “give it up, plan C shoe.” Spent the evening wearing plan C for a bit and then sat with my feet under the table on bags of ice! And my rheumy considers my moderate/severed R.A. to be controlled and in remission because of Remicade infusions… Show THAT in a commercial and now we’re getting somewhere!
Ha ha, I thought the same thing when I saw that! No one I know with moderate to severe RA can make a fist like that!
I agree with all the comments, but yours LINNY is the one that I can relate to the most. I’d like to see any of the infusion drug treatments as a commercial and maybe then people would begin to realize the difference of arthritis vs rheumatoid disease. I even get sick after each infusion treatment. Now that is not a commercial anyone would want to see. Commercials like that do not sell the product. I have a question for you, if your rheumatologist says you are in remission how often do you get a treatment?
Melanie, that’s EXACTLY what I was thinking when I watched – as these beautiful hands so gracefully unfold from enveloping the Xeljans pill…haha! Don’t know about you, but I haven’t been able to bend my fingers like that in years! When I do try to bend them or make a fist, they are not uniformed in the way they bend – more like snaggled, swollen and varied in directions and flexibility. In a perfect world…
Hi Kelly I seen the ad and my doc wanted to change my biologic. I know I didn’t want something new. They find something wrong with it down the road. It’s true that these docs take kickbacks to prescribe new drugs. That makes me angry. No better than a drug pusher on the street is my opinion! That stuff said it treats symptoms. We want a cure! Thanks for the info and your hard work!
Really enjoy reading the posts! Tried xeljanz. Intestinal tract felt like I was on fire after 10 days. Have tried mtx, humira, & enbrel with no results. Now trying Orencia. According to orencia’s commercial I will soon be saying,”Oh yes I can!”. Time will tell……
My doctor mentioned Xeljanz, but I decided to try Enbrel first, since I was eligible for a research study comparing Enbrel and Humira. I love the idea of a pill rather than the shots for sure! But I had read Xeljanz wasn’t approved in Europe because of the reasons you mentioned. ( My doctor, who is from Germany, didn’t know that, lol!) The Enbrel so far isn’t helping a lot, and I’m getting awful headaches and stomach upset. If the Xeljanz helps my hands more and doesn’t cause so many issues, I would be willing to try it, even if it’s not proven to help with long term damage.
I’m not impressed with any of the RA-related TV ads, personally. All of them seem to imply that if you pop a couple of pills, you’ll be “good as new”. Well, we RAers know that simply is not the case, not in most cases anyway.
On a bit of a different note, last week I had a stye in my left eye which caused an infection and a lovely (ha!) swollen eyelid. When I came back to work, my supervisor was all sympathetic about it. However, I get zero sympathy about my RA aches and pains – because they are not “visible”.
We RAers have a LOT of educating to do. God bless us all.
Carole
This is something I have not been able to understand. Why won’t they show real RA hands and feet? I have seen toenail fungus commercials, acne commercials, etc., its like they go out of their way to find the worst cases they can. Still everyone with RA is presented with perfect hands and feet. Is it because their products can clear toenail fungus, or acne, but even if your RA meds work for you, once your hands and feet are like that, they don’t get better? I have not understood why it is always the unrealistic portrait of RA.
I asked my rheumy about Xeljanz at my last visit. He said that most of the patients he had prescribed it for had experienced a lot of side affects and intestinal issues. He also stressed how important Methotextrate is in treatment protocol. I currently take Plaquenil, Enbrel, and MTX.
Good Morning,
I dropped my jaw when this commercial came on. It was so flowing and graceful….I think they need to use real people like when Dove did the ‘real women’ model ads. Now that this ad is out I am sure I am going to hear it from the folks that know I have RA “why don’t you try the new drug Xeljanz?” People need to be educated. If gnarled hands are going to gross someone out they need to grow up. There are far worse things I see on the evening news and TV shows that are offensive to me. Life is real and raw and I for one am tired of things being sugar coated. This is a deadly disease that needs to be recognized and fought aggressively not glamorized. The meds we need are toxic and carry dangerous side effects and just because we take a drug does not guarantee that it will slow anything down. We are fighting against our own bodies due to this being an autoimmune disease. I now use the term Rheumatoid Disease vs Arthritis because I am sick of the confusion with OA. Yes, I also believe we need to spend money on finding a cure not commercials. Those of us with RA are informed about meds through our MD’s and money should be spent on a cure. Off my soap box for now. Peace to all, Kristina
AMEN Kristina!
Brenda – I really your post – I have had allergic reactions to MTX and Humira – so now on Plaquenil and Naproxen– just glad to hear other people have had adverse reactions to all of these drugs – my rhuemy was shocked with my reactions and told me “he had never seen any bad reactions to Humira or MTX”
I think I’m giving him an education!
Having worked in marketing a long time, what caught my attention in the ad was – very pretty hands and feet; movements/tasks not easily accomplished by RAers; and comforting, soothing music. However, what really gets me is the subliminal – at the very end of the commercial the sweet couple walking down the beach – did anyone notice how long they awkwardly hold their arms in a perfect “X” as the X of Xeljanz appears on the screen over where their arms are in an X and then they finally hold hands.
I agree that I do not like drugs being advertised, especially on TV.
It has become so frustrating to me with the public’s total lack of understanding for RD. A lot is simply ignorance of the disease, but how RA/RD is categorized as arthritis doesn’t help. These commercials and slogans don’t help – Oh no they don’t! When I take my mom to get her hair cut and the stylist sends word I should try the new drug on TV (Xeljanz) – I’ve had enough.
I wonder how much more would be donated for research, education and assistance programs if the general public really understood what the disease is, how serious it is and the impact on daily life. The educational materials need to have real life photos, not models.
I sat a table for arthritis this weekend at a health fair. It was enlightening (shocking) what the public’s understanding of RD really is.
You are welcome to volunteer with the RPF Donna. We are changing that perception. That will change the rest, as you said.
I think the Humira,and Enbrel commercial are misleading. I’ve also been on Rituxan and made me feel sick. I’ve been on Xeljanz since 8-1-13 and this is the first time my feet have start to go down and hurt less am walking better and feel better.I hope Xeljanz will let me get off of Prednisone I’ve been on Prednisone for four years now 10mg.Now I can’t wait to see how I will do on just Xeljanz. Have an appointment in three weeks.Can’t waite to talk to doctor.
I thought the commercial was better than the average RA med commercial, but can’t understand why they don’t show real life patients. Oh, and the Humira ad with the lady squeezing her own orange juice provokes feelings of fiery rage.
I’ve had full blown RA for 2 years, but in retrospect, it’s been building for more than 20. So far nothing has helped but prednisone tapers. I’ve “failed” methotrexate, enbrel, and orencia. Last week I started xeljanz. My rheumatologist said it was a toss up between xeljanz and actemra infusions and she had no idea which would help. My insurance wants me to try xeljanz first, so that’s why I’m on it.
Just praying it helps. I hate how that RA treatment is like playing Russian roulette. Methotrexate made me sick, exhausted and my hair started falling out. I got Shingles from Enbrel and neurologic symptoms like MS from the Orencia. Who knows what’s going to happen with Xeljanz or Actemra?
I actually found the commercial fairly decent in comparison to previous commercials; but I admit to not being objective, being a study patient for Xejanz, in the sense of experiencing the positive effects of the drug. What I do like is the fact the medication is in pill form, and it did work in my case to improve my life considering all other medications had failed up to that point.Instead of the intrusion of a needle for infusion or injections.
It would have been better to create a commercial without the “dreamy”aspects. I would prefer to see the entire human being, not just body parts in a commercial, and agree with what others have said here, which is that using real patients, instead of actors not only gives a real example but also ads support to the patient community. My hands still have their bent appearance, but they stopped bending as did the toe joints and others. As most know, when you have had RA ravage a joint it never returns to normal appearance.
Not only am I tired of seeing beautiful hands and feet, people dancing, etc, but why do they typically make us older than we are??? Many young people are diagnosed with this horrible disease. And the “oh yes I can” team needs to come up with a much better line than that.
I’ve been on Remicade, Simponi, Orencia, Methotrexate, and Arava. I am now getting relief from being on Xeljanz for approximately three months. I can usually manage the flare ups with Tramadol and Flexeril (for the fibro).
Hopefully, one day people will see this as a disease, not just “aches and pains.” Most of my friends can’t understand why I can’t keep going on and on like they do. I wouldn’t wish this on anyone, and pray for a cure!
My first reaction was hysterical laughter and a huge what the heck?? In her sweet little there, there, calming voice I distinctly heard the announcer say that Xeljanz can “enter cells and disrupt jacked pathways.” (Being fluent in the language of my teenaged sons, in their milieu the verb “jack” means to foul up or to steal.) Is that the problem? Did someone sneak into my pathways and JACK them? I guess the word was actually JAK, but is the average TV viewer going to know that?
Interesting how slowly and carefully she enunciated all the risks.
funny to see this post. i had come to this site, which i do not normally visit, specifically to comment on this. any ad for Xeljanz is a good ad! this drug has changed my life. off Methotrexate, off Enbrel, just 2 little 5 mg pills morning and night for a complete normal life, and yoga 4 times a week. any ad that brings this to the attention of RA patients is a plus. so happy to throw away my needles.
Doritt, I’m so glad it worked for you. Were you in the clinical trial? That dose is not approved anywhere. It was more effective, but the adverse events were too high in the trials. (See links in post)
i was not in the clinical. my understanding was that 5 mg 2x/day was approved as of December 2012. i see Dr. William Mullins, who is really thorough, publishes frequently. i do not think he would make an error in this regard.
just looked it up. 5 mg 2x/day is the approved dose. no side effects for me so far. in contrast, the MTX and Enbrel made it impossible for me to think clearly and also created frequent nausea and mouth sores.
Everyone’s immune system is do different. I’ve followed the progress of this drug for 3 yrs on this site & had a friend in the trial. The last time I reported on Xeljanz, I got a couple of emails about how horrible & dangerous it is.
What some don’t realize is the whole business of trying to treat a dangerous disease like rheumatoid is ultimately risky too.
Thanks for explaining. When you said, “2 little 5 mg pills morning and night,” it sounded like the higher dose (10 mg twice a day). I’m so glad you responded so well to it – and hopefully it will be long term. I wish a larger percentage of our population got that response.
I just get tired of explaining to unknowing well wishers that the lady on the commercial is an actor, like any other actors they watch on commercials. I asked a relative last week if he really thought for one second that if given the chance, that I wouldn’t take a drug that would make me perfect like that Humira lady. On a different note… does anyone else use CIMZIA? I never see adds or hear much feedback. I inject it bi-weekly and inject MTX, weekly. The combination works pretty well, if I can keep from getting sick or infections.
Why don’t we see the fingers, hands, wrist, feet and or toes of real people with moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis. I think if people see the visuals of joint damage deformity they will stop saying “my grandmother had that”
Donna …. yes, if only real RA damage was shown. Maybe that would give a truer perspective.
The new Xeljanz commercial doesn’t really bother me much. The one that really gets to me is the Humira commercial. I always tell my husband I want the soccer mom Humira RD. Looks easier to handle than real RD. Also, have you noticed the mom and daughter are sharing toothbrushes in that ad? Really!?!? She’s on a biologic and she’s sharing a toothbrush? C’mon! The ad people could at least try.
The Xeljanz commercial with a woman swinging her arms, clomping around
on her feet and clapping her hands makes me cringe with pain. It may
be a great product, but even when I am feeling really good I have to
move carefully.
I dislike all drug commercials. The doctor should be the one to tell you about what drug they would recommend for you, not a TV ad from the drug manufacturer. It’s like saying “Please beg your doctor for (insert drug name here).” My new rheumy did prescribe xeljanz to me after being on Humira and living through a massive heart attack while on it. Then a few years of just the standard mtx, pred, advil, tramadol and other now needed heart meds. I finally and reluctantly went on Orencia, which helped at first, then started to become ineffective and at the same time I was getting more and more sick from the 13 years on mtx. This will be my third week on xeljanz. I started to feel better within days. Could it be? Then I had three days of some crazy lower back pain that subsided. Next, I had a three day headache, that subsided, then my tongue went crazy for two days (felt like extreme dry mouth) and that subsided. I have not been sleeping well for at least the past week and yesterday my gut felt like it was going to explode. Gut pain all night and still at this moment. I will have to let my doc know. I don’t think I can handle the gut pain and am not going to take my pills today. Wah.
Oh Golly Dolly, I hear you. I’ve been on Xelganz for three months and went through much the same progression. The severe headache was the worst, and even though I don’t have severe headache pain anymore, I do have frequent headaches. I prefer to try a more holistic approach but even that takes time, so when doctor gave me Xelganz at a dosage of two 5 mg/day, I took only one in the morning. After my recent appointment with him, all my markers were down. Still, he recommended the two per day treatment and scared me with some of my past RA history stories. Because I was scared, I started two per day and my reactions to it were terrible: headache, nausea, dizziness, and I was so impatient and cranky. So…back on one per day for me. I wonder why he did that even though my blood work had improved? That really upsets me. It’s as though he didn’t listen to me at all.
On another note, those commercials! I don’t like any of them primarily because of the long list of potential dangers. I don’t understand why Big Pharma needs to advertise. Crazy making stuff. I definitely agree with other comments here regarding using real people with RA in commercials. As far as I know, there’s no way to reverse the damage done. That will be a great day.
At the end of the ad on TV for this product, when the woman runs her hands through his hair, there is a “fuzzy” on her fingernail! Is this intentional?
All the commercials are ridiculous. They don’t need to advertise anyway ! They make so much money. I have had RA for 20 yrs & have tried everything except Rituxin. My rheumy wanted me to try Xeljanz. My insurance won’t cover it. So the whopping cost for me would be $28,000. A yr.. Now how crazy is that ? Makes me more mad than the commercials. And he has 5 patients on it just like the survey taken. Just had foot surgery 2 wks ago, one of many. My hands are swollen & turning out. I have it pretty much everywhere so wish there was something to slow down the erosion. One day at a time. God bless
I first saw the commercial showing the hands petting the adorable puppy. (I have tried to find out the breed of that puppy since) Now you’ve taken the puppy off the commercial much to my disappointment. I know this actually does not apply to anyone who doesn’t have RA, but I would really love to find out. (why did you remove that dog from the commercial?)
We love the Xeljanz commercials. It’s so nice that someone has finally presented an RA patient as a lovely barefoot woman who continues to enjoy life. Each ad itself is stress relief and escape from the suffering. We stop and watch every time it’s on TV!
What breed is the puppy in your most recent commercial with little girl and puppy hiding behind the curtain