Miley Cyrus Will Not Likely Be a Pharma Spokesperson

Could she be a future pharma endorser?

Sometimes a celebrity as a potential spokesperson for a product or a cause is a no-brainer.

• William Shatner for Priceline. Nailed it.
• LeBron James for Nike. Of course.
• Angelina Jolie for Louis Vuitton. Absolutely.

Michael J. Fox is clearly a magnificent spokesperson for Parkinson's Disease, as are many celebrities for other important causes.

While we see lots of celebrities jump onto causes and endorse organizations, rarely do we see a celebrity endorse a specific drug or other regulated product. Is it because using a compensated spokesperson can backfire, as Paula Dean did for Novo Nordisk's diabetes drug, Victoza?

Celebrities hold sway over their legions of fans. But is this influence worth it if the celebrity goes off the rails and becomes a liability? Endorsements seem to work best for pop culture products and lifestyle brands, where celebrity blowouts can be dealt with and the damage can be mitigated. But there are clearly industries where it doesn't work. Pharma is probably one of those industries.

This is almost certainly a good thing. Should I really ask my doctor to prescribe a drug just because a pro athlete or entertainer is paid to speak highly of it? Maybe it is better for celebrities to stick to hawking beer and sports drinks and underwear and luxury items, and stay away from regulated products.

Maybe it comes down to authenticity. Do we really believe celebrities use all the products they endorse? Not really. We take it with a grain of salt. We can't afford, however, to get caught up in potentially disingenuous celebrity endorsements when it comes to our health.

What are your thoughts on celebrities endorsing prescription products? Can these arrangements work? If so, which celebrities would you match with specific products? If not, why not? Leave a comment.