No matter what your economic hardships are, you always want to invest in your own health and eat the foods that will nourish you and give you valuable nutrients. There is no substitute for proper nutrition, and today’s savings on foods can spell tomorrow’s medical bills. That said, there are ways to have it both ways - healthy and economical. Here are some tips to get you started:

1. Produce that is big in health, small in price

Here are some healthy autumn staples that won’t break the bank.

• Vitamin-rich vegetables can become the centerpiece of your meals without putting a dent in your wallet. In season right now are broccoli, mustard greens, arugula, bok choi, chard, carrots, onions, parsnips, sweet potatoes, leeks, beets, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, mushrooms, and squashes of all shapes and sizes.

• Opt for apples, pears, and cranberries for inexpensive fruits packed with nutrients.

• Some healthy, flavorful foods that can spice up any dish are ginger, garlic, burdock, scallions, and parsley.

2. Get protein from less expensive sources

Soy Products: Get in touch with tofu, which is much less expensive than high-quality meat. Tofu, or bean curd, has very little flavor of its own, so it can be seasoned or marinated to work with any dish. You can get more mileage out of your scrambled eggs by combining half soft tofu and half eggs. How about making a vegetable stir fry that is seventy percent bean curd and thirty percent meat. Low in calories and relatively high in protein, iron, and fiber, soy is filled with histidine, an amino acid that helps your body digest protein, protect red blood cells, and maintain healthy immune function.

Beans and legumes also cost very little, but bring a robust flavor and a bounty of benefits to your health. Beans and legumes are packed with protein and fiber, provide the good kind of fat, and are loaded with complex carbohydrates, the nutrients that provide energy to the body. And you can buy in bulk - another savings tip - because dried beans and legumes will keep their quality for 6-12 months in an airtight glass container stored in a cool, dry place.

Whole Grains: Few other foods offer such a diverse array of benefits at such a small cost. A good source of dietary fiber, protein, and essential fatty acids, whole grains are filling and delicious. Also, there is much evidence that suggests eating whole grains reduces the risks of coronary heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes and obesity. Try barley, brown rice, oats, quinoa, rice, rye, sorghum, spelt, organic wheat pasta, buckwheat pasta, and amaranth. Again, you can buy in bulk and store in glass containers for up to 6 months.

3. Smart tips about leftovers

When you make more than one meal at a time, you save money and time. The trick is to plan in advance so that nothing goes to waste. Get creative so that you don’t end up eating the same meal over and over. Yesterday’s chili can be today’s Southwestern quesadillas and tomorrow’s stuffed bell peppers.

4. Soup: the low-cost, low-calorie superhero

Not only is soup one of the healthiest ways to fill up, due to the ease at which the body can assimilate liquid nutrients, it is also one of the most cost-effective. Yet another bonus? Studies have shown that soup, because if its liquid content, is a wonderful way to lose weight. You can use the vegetable scraps from the preparation of other meals to make your own vegetable broth. Nothing could be simpler than throwing in leek tops, onion remainders - whatever is left over - in boiling water with a couple of garlic cloves. It’s healthier than the high-sodium canned broth found in the market, and perfect for making soups or sautéing vegetables with.

5. Eat in

Eating out is fastest way to blow the budget. Get in the habit of bringing lunch with you. Be adventurous; bagged lunch doesn’t have to be a sandwich every day. Get a short wide stainless steel thermos and bring soup, marinated vegetables and couscous, or eggplant parmesan - whatever will satisfy and inspire your tastebuds.

For dinner, why not prepare a fancy, candle-lit meal? Go all out and have an appetizer, a main course, and even a dessert, just like the restaurant you are dreaming of going to. To make it yourself is an enjoyable, creative experience - and it will cost less and taste better. Another option is to throw a party. Have a potluck where each of your friends brings a dish, and have fun being on a budget together.

6. Leave the bottle behind

Buying a bottle of water every day, or sometimes several times a day can really add up! Instead of subtracting from your wallet and adding to the recycling bin, invest in a water filtration system. What seems like a big cost at first ends up saving you money - and the environment - in the long run. To learn about a high-performance filtration system that I recommend, click here.

7. Grow your own food

Bring back the victory garden! Start simply by just growing your own sprouts in a jar. Then upgrade to making your own yogurt. Eventually, as weather in your region allows, start planting a garden of fresh herbs and vegetables that will bring you a bounty of health benefits. Take it one step farther and learn how to preserve your food - you will be stocked no matter what. And nothing tastes better than food you have grown and prepared yourself.

I hope you find the ways to eat well on a budget! May you live long, live strong, and live happy!

-Dr. Mao

Two nutrition experts argue that you can’t take marketing campaigns at face value

With America’s obesity problem among kids reaching crisis proportions, even junk food makers have started to claim they want to steer children toward more healthful choices. In a study released earlier this year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that about 32 percent of children were overweight but not obese, 16 percent were obese, and 11 percent were extremely obese. Food giant PepsiCo, for example, points out on its website that “we can play an important role in helping kids lead healthier lives by offering healthy product choices in schools.” The company highlights what it considers its healthier products within various food categories through a “Smart Spot” marketing campaign that features green symbols on packaging. PepsiCo’s inclusive criteria–explained here–award spots to foods of dubious nutritional value such as Diet Pepsi, Cap’n Crunch cereal, reduced-fat Doritos, and Cheetos, as well as to more nutritious products such as Quaker Oatmeal and Tropicana Orange Juice.

But are wellness initiatives like Smart Spot just marketing ploys? Such moves by the food industry may seem to be a step in the right direction, but ultimately makers of popular junk foods have an obligation to stockholders to encourage kids to eat more–not less–of the foods that fuel their profits, says David Ludwig, a pediatrician and the co-author of a commentary published in this week’s Journal of the American Medical Association that raises questions about whether big food companies can be trusted to help combat obesity. Ludwig and article co-author Marion Nestle, a professor of nutrition at New York University, both of whom have long histories of tracking the food industry, spoke with U.S. News and highlighted 10 things that junk food makers don’t want you to know about their products and how they promote them.

1. Junk food makers spend billions advertising unhealthy foods to kids.
According to the Federal Trade Commission, food makers spend some $1.6 billion annually to reach children through the traditional media as well the Internet, in-store advertising, and sweepstakes. An article published in 2006 in the Journal of Public Health Policy puts the number as high as $10 billion annually. Promotions often use cartoon characters or free giveaways to entice kids into the junk food fold. PepsiCo has pledged that it will advertise only “Smart Spot” products to children under 12.

2. The studies that food producers support tend to minimize health concerns associated with their products.
In fact, according to a review led by Ludwig of hundreds of studies that looked at the health effects of milk, juice, and soda, the likelihood of conclusions favorable to the industry was several times higher among industry-sponsored research than studies that received no industry funding. “If a study is funded by the industry, it may be closer to advertising than science,” he says.

3. Junk food makers donate large sums of money to professional nutrition associations.
The American Dietetic Association, for example, accepts money from companies such as Coca-Cola, which get access to decision makers in the food and nutrition marketplace via ADA events and programs, as this release explains. As Nestle notes in her blog and discusses at length in her book Food Politics, the group even distributes nutritional fact sheets that are directly sponsored by specific industry groups. This one, for example, which is sponsored by an industry group that promotes lamb, rather unsurprisingly touts the nutritional benefits of lamb. The ADA’s reasoning: “These collaborations take place with the understanding that ADA does not support any program or message that does not correspond with ADA’s science-based healthful-eating messages and positions,” according to the group’s president, dietitian Martin Yadrick. “In fact, we think it’s important for us to be at the same table with food companies because of the positive influence that we can have on them.”

4. More processing means more profits, but typically makes the food less healthy.
Minimally processed foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables obviously aren’t where food companies look for profits. The big bucks stem from turning government-subsidized commodity crops–mainly corn, wheat, and soybeans–into fast foods, snack foods, and beverages. High-profit products derived from these commodity crops are generally high in calories and low in nutritional value.

5. Less-processed foods are generally more satiating than their highly processed counterparts.
Fresh apples have an abundance of fiber and nutrients that are lost when they are processed into applesauce. And the added sugar or other sweeteners increase the number of calories without necessarily making the applesauce any more filling. Apple juice, which is even more processed, has had almost all of the fiber and nutrients stripped out. This same stripping out of nutrients, says Ludwig, happens with highly refined white bread compared with stone-ground whole wheat bread.

6. Many supposedly healthy replacement foods are hardly healthier than the foods they replace.
In 2006, for example, major beverage makers agreed to remove sugary sodas from school vending machines. But the industry mounted an intense lobbying effort that persuaded lawmakers to allow sports drinks and vitamin waters that–despite their slightly healthier reputations–still can be packed with sugar and calories.

7. A health claim on the label doesn’t necessarily make a food healthy.
Health claims such as “zero trans fats” or “contains whole wheat” may create the false impression that a product is healthy when it’s not. While the claims may be true, a product is not going to benefit your kid’s health if it’s also loaded with salt and sugar or saturated fat, say, and lacks fiber or other nutrients. “These claims are calorie distracters,” adds Nestle. “They make people forget about the calories.” Dave DeCecco, a spokesperson for PepsiCo, counters that the intent of a labeling program such as Smart Spot is simply to help consumers pick a healthier choice within a category. “We’re not trying to tell people that a bag of Doritos is healthier than asparagus. But, if you’re buying chips, and you’re busy, and you don’t have a lot of time to read every part of the label, it’s an easy way to make a smarter choice,” he says.

8. Food industry pressure has made nutritional guidelines confusing.
As Nestle explained in Food Politics, the food industry has a history of preferring scientific jargon to straight talk. As far back as 1977, public health officials attempted to include the advice “reduce consumption of meat” in an important report called Dietary Goals for the United States. The report’s authors capitulated to intense pushback from the cattle industry and used this less-direct and more ambiguous advice: “Choose meats, poultry, and fish which will reduce saturated fat intake.” Overall, says Nestle, the government has a hard time suggesting that people eat less of anything.

9. The food industry funds front groups that fight antiobesity public health initiatives.
Unless you follow politics closely, you wouldn’t necessarily realize that a group with a name like the Center for Consumer Freedom (CCF) has anything to do with the food industry. In fact, Ludwig and Nestle point out, this group lobbies aggressively against obesity-related public health campaigns–such as the one directed at removing junk food from schools–and is funded, according to the Center for Media and Democracy, primarily through donations from big food companies such as Coca-Cola, Cargill, Tyson Foods, and Wendy’s.

10. The food industry works aggressively to discredit its critics.
According to the new JAMA article, the Center for Consumer Freedom boasts that “[our strategy] is to shoot the messenger. We’ve got to attack [activists'] credibility as spokespersons.” Here’s the group’s entry on Marion Nestle.

The bottom line, says Nestle, is quite simple: Kids need to eat less, include more fruits and vegetables, and limit the junk food.

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 Palladium Lipoic Complexes as Part of an Integrative Approach to Cancer [27:19m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Dr. Ahmad Nasri, MD, HMD, discusses several modalities for the treatment and support of cancer, including palladium lipoic complexes (LAPd), and how to combine those into integrative protocols for the individual. Case studies are also presented. LAPd is the complex available commercially as Poly-MVA, a unique nutritional supplement that assists in boosting immune response, healing damaged cells and providing energy for compromised body systems.

Dr. Ahmad Nasri, MD, HMD, utilizes integrative medicine in his clinics in Canada, treating the whole person individually, observing that treating from a holistic point of view provides patients a unique benefit and a higher cure rate. He is an internationally renowned speaker and author.

Poly-MVA is a promising new, non-toxic dietary supplement that may assist in boosting immune response, and healing damaged cells. It is a uniquely formulated nutritional supplement containing a proprietary blend of Palladium and Alpha Lipoic Acid, Vitamins B1, B2 and B12, Formylmethionine, Acetyl Cystiene, and trace amounts of Molybdinum, Rhodium, and Ruthenium. While definitive studies on it’s effect in human nutrition and health are under way, early studies and anecdotal information indicate that the active ingredients in palladium lipoic complex may be beneficial in protecting cell DNA and RNA, assisting the body produce energy, and provide support to the liver in removing harmful substances from the body. Some studies indicate that ingredients of Poly-MVA can assist in preventing cell damage, and removing heavy metals from the bloodstream. As a powerful antioxidant, it can help to neutralize the free radicals within the body that are thought to influence the aging processes and convert them into energy. Other ingredients are involved in DNA synthesis, production of the myelin sheath that protects nerves, and red blood cell production, and playing an important role in immune and nerve function.

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 Poly-MVA: An Integrative Approach to Specific Cancers - Case Studies [41:25m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Dr. Shari Lieberman discusses published case studies on the use of palladium lipoic complexes (LAPd) in multiple myeloma and non-small cell lung cancer. LAPd is the complex available commercially as Poly-MVA, a unique nutritional supplement that assists in boosting immune response, healing damaged cells and providing energy for compromised body systems.

Shari Lieberman, Ph.D., C.N.S., F.A.C.N., is a research scientist and industry consultant based in New York City and Pompano Beach, Florida. She is also the Founding Dean of New York Chiropractic College’s (Seneca Falls, New York) MS Degree Program in Clinical Nutrition.

Poly-MVA is a promising new, non-toxic dietary supplement that may assist in boosting immune response, and healing damaged cells. It is a uniquely formulated nutritional supplement containing a proprietary blend of Palladium and Alpha Lipoic Acid, Vitamins B1, B2 and B12, Formylmethionine, Acetyl Cystiene, and trace amounts of Molybdinum, Rhodium, and Ruthenium. While definitive studies on it’s effect in human nutrition and health are under way, early studies and anecdotal information indicate that the active ingredients in palladium lipoic complex may be beneficial in protecting cell DNA and RNA, assisting the body produce energy, and provide support to the liver in removing harmful substances from the body. Some studies indicate that ingredients of Poly-MVA can assist in preventing cell damage, and removing heavy metals from the bloodstream. As a powerful antioxidant, it can help to neutralize the free radicals within the body that are thought to influence the aging processes and convert them into energy. Other ingredients are involved in DNA synthesis, production of the myelin sheath that protects nerves, and red blood cell production, and playing an important role in immune and nerve function.

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 Palladium Lipoic Complex (Poly-MVA): Cellular Energy Support Helps in Cancer Cases [23:40m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Discussion by Dr. Frank Antonawich on how palladium lipoic complexes (LAPd) work inside our cells in relation to its ability to protect cells from oxidative stress. LAPd is the complex available commercially as Poly-MVA, a unique nutritional supplement that assists in boosting immune response, healing damaged cells and providing energy for compromised body systems.

Frank Antonawich, PhD, is the Senior Scientist and Clinical Research Administrator at Garnett McKeen Laboratory, Inc. He is also an Associate Professor of Biology and Chairman St. Joseph’s College, New York as well as an Adjunct Professor of Neurology at a separate research university.

Poly-MVA is a promising new, non-toxic dietary supplement that may assist in boosting immune response, and healing damaged cells. It is a uniquely formulated nutritional supplement containing a proprietary blend of Palladium and Alpha Lipoic Acid, Vitamins B1, B2 and B12, Formylmethionine, Acetyl Cystiene, and trace amounts of Molybdinum, Rhodium, and Ruthenium. While definitive studies on its effect in human nutrition and health are under way, early studies and anecdotal information indicate that the active ingredients in palladium lipoic complex may be beneficial in protecting cell DNA and RNA, assisting the body produce energy, and provide support to the liver in removing harmful substances from the body. Some studies indicate that ingredients of Poly-MVA can assist in preventing cell damage, and removing heavy metals from the bloodstream. As a powerful antioxidant, it can help to neutralize the free radicals within the body that are thought to influence the aging processes and convert them into energy. Other ingredients are involved in DNA synthesis, production of the myelin sheath that protects nerves, and red blood cell production, and playing an important role in immune and nerve function.

CLICK HERE FOR PRESENTATION SLIDES FOR THIS WEBCAST

 

 The Experts Speak: A Panel Discussion on the Benefits of Palladium Lipoic Complexes (Poly-MVA) in Cancer and Stroke [32:27m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Dr. Frank Antonawich joins a panel of experts at a workshop at a recent American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine International Congress to discuss the positive results observed in his research over the years with palladium lipoic complexes (Poly-MVA) in the areas of energy, mitochondrial function, cancer and stroke.  LAPd is the complex available commercially as Poly-MVA, a unique nutritional supplement that assists in boosting immune response, healing damaged cells and providing energy for compromised body systems.

Frank Antonawich, PhD, is the Senior Scientist and Clinical Research Administrator at Garnett McKeen Laboratory, Inc. He is also an Associate Professor of Biology and Chairman St. Joseph’s College, New York as well as an Adjunct Professor of Neurology at a separate research university.

Poly-MVA is a promising new, non-toxic dietary supplement that may assist in boosting immune response, and healing damaged cells. It is a uniquely formulated nutritional supplement containing a proprietary blend of Palladium and Alpha Lipoic Acid, Vitamins B1, B2 and B12, Formylmethionine, Acetyl Cystiene, and trace amounts of Molybdinum, Rhodium, and Ruthenium. While definitive studies on it’s effect in human nutrition and health are under way, early studies and anecdotal information indicate that the active ingredients in palladium lipoic complex may be beneficial in protecting cell DNA and RNA, assisting the body produce energy, and provide support to the liver in removing harmful substances from the body. Some studies indicate that ingredients of Poly-MVA can assist in preventing cell damage, and removing heavy metals from the bloodstream. As a powerful antioxidant, it can help to neutralize the free radicals within the body that are thought to influence the aging processes and convert them into energy. Other ingredients are involved in DNA synthesis, production of the myelin sheath that protects nerves, and red blood cell production, and playing an important role in immune and nerve function.

CLICK HERE FOR PRESENTATION SLIDES FOR THIS WEBCAST

Dr. Frank Antonawich presents information from his research concerning palladium lipoic complexes (LAPd) and its role in the metabolic regulation of cancer and stroke cell death - the number 1 and 3 causes of death in the US. LAPd is the complex available commercially as Poly-MVA, a unique nutritional supplement that assists in boosting immune response, healing damaged cells and providing energy for compromised body systems.

Frank Antonawich, PhD, is the Senior Scientist and Clinical Research Administrator at Garnett McKeen Laboratory, Inc. He is also an Associate Professor of Biology and Chairman St. Joseph’s College, New York as well as an Adjunct Professor of Neurology at a separate research university.

Poly-MVA is a promising new, non-toxic dietary supplement that may assist in boosting immune response, and healing damaged cells. It is a uniquely formulated nutritional supplement containing a proprietary blend of Palladium and Alpha Lipoic Acid, Vitamins B1, B2 and B12, Formylmethionine, Acetyl Cystiene, and trace amounts of Molybdinum, Rhodium, and Ruthenium. While definitive studies on it’s effect in human nutrition and health are under way, early studies and anecdotal information indicate that the active ingredients in palladium lipoic complex may be beneficial in protecting cell DNA and RNA, assisting the body produce energy, and provide support to the liver in removing harmful substances from the body. Some studies indicate that ingredients of Poly-MVA can assist in preventing cell damage, and removing heavy metals from the bloodstream. As a powerful antioxidant, it can help to neutralize the free radicals within the body that are thought to influence the aging processes and convert them into energy. Other ingredients are involved in DNA synthesis, production of the myelin sheath that protects nerves, and red blood cell production, and playing an important role in immune and nerve function.

CLICK HERE FOR PRESENTATION SLIDES FOR THIS WEBCAST

 

 Palladium Lipoic Complexes (Poly-MVA) - An Effective Approach in Cellular Metabolism: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 Dr. Frank Antonawich, in conjunction with Dr. Shari Lieberman and Dr. Al Sanchez, discuss palladium lipoic complexes (LAPd) and results seen in specific cases where it was able to provide energy and nutritional support, especially in patients dealing with health challenges such as cancer. LAPd is the complex available commercially as Poly-MVA, a unique nutritional supplement that assists in boosting immune response, healing damaged cells and providing energy for compromised body systems.

Frank Antonawich, PhD, is the Senior Scientist and Clinical Research Administrator at Garnett McKeen Laboratory, Inc. He is also an Associate Professor of Biology and Chairman St. Joseph’s College, New York as well as an Adjunct Professor of Neurology at a separate research university.

Poly-MVA is a promising new, non-toxic dietary supplement that may assist in boosting immune response, and healing damaged cells. It is a uniquely formulated nutritional supplement containing a proprietary blend of Palladium and Alpha Lipoic Acid, Vitamins B1, B2 and B12, Formylmethionine, Acetyl Cystiene, and trace amounts of Molybdinum, Rhodium, and Ruthenium. While definitive studies on it’s effect in human nutrition and health are under way, early studies and anecdotal information indicate that the active ingredients in palladium lipoic complex may be beneficial in protecting cell DNA and RNA, assisting the body produce energy, and provide support to the liver in removing harmful substances from the body. Some studies indicate that ingredients of Poly-MVA can assist in preventing cell damage, and removing heavy metals from the bloodstream. As a powerful antioxidant, it can help to neutralize the free radicals within the body that are thought to influence the aging processes and convert them into energy. Other ingredients are involved in DNA synthesis, production of the myelin sheath that protects nerves, and red blood cell production, and playing an important role in immune and nerve function.

CLICK HERE FOR PRESENTATION FILES FOR THIS WEBCAST

 

 Dr. James Forsythe Joins an Expert Panel in Discussion on Poly-MVA with Degenerative Diseases: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Board Certified Oncologist Dr. James W. Forsythe M.D., H.M.D., joins a panel of other experts for a group discussion on the validation of alternative and integrative approaches to wellness and disease management through the use of clinical outcome-based investigation. One such study was headed up by Dr. Forsythe over a 2-year period with the use of palladium lipoic complexes (Poly-MVA), in which he found that Poly-MVA appears to be a safe and effective natural food supplement for optimum support in compromised body states, especially as palliative assistance in Stage IV cancer patients either with or without concomitant chemotherapy. The safety profile for palladium lipoic complex is excellent and there were no treatment related deaths or any significant adverse reactions or negative interactions with chemotherapy or hormonal treatments.

Dr. Forsythe is Board Certified in Internal Medicine, Medical Oncology and Homeopathy. He has been a pioneer in integrative therapies and wellness medicine for more than thirty years. His Century Wellness Clinic and Cancer Screening and Treatment Center of Nevada have drawn thousands of patients from all over the world and have also turned Forsythe into an educator in his own profession.

Dr. Forsythe was recently vindicated in a 30-month investigation by the FDA into his use of integrative therapies. Not only was justice served, but for the first time in the history of the FDA a doctor in private practice has been asked to work with the FDA on integrative and alternative treatments.

Poly-MVA is a promising new, non-toxic dietary supplement that may assist in boosting immune response, and healing damaged cells. It is a uniquely formulated nutritional supplement containing a proprietary blend of Palladium and Alpha Lipoic Acid, Vitamins B1, B2 and B12, Formylmethionine, Acetyl Cystiene, and trace amounts of Molybdinum, Rhodium, and Ruthenium. While definitive studies on it’s effect in human nutrition and health are under way, early studies and anecdotal information indicate that the active ingredients in palladium lipoic complex may be beneficial in protecting cell DNA and RNA, assisting the body produce energy, and provide support to the liver in removing harmful substances from the body. Some studies indicate that ingredients of Poly-MVA can assist in preventing cell damage, and removing heavy metals from the bloodstream. As a powerful antioxidant, it can help to neutralize the free radicals within the body that are thought to influence the aging processes and convert them into energy. Other ingredients are involved in DNA synthesis, production of the myelin sheath that protects nerves, and red blood cell production, and playing an important role in immune and nerve function.

By Susan Heavey

Ads for prescription drugs need to be clear and direct and government needs to study the effects these ads have on consumer behavior, particularly among the elderly and minorities, a U.S. Food and Drug Administration panel of outside experts said recently.

“It’s about how it’s understood and how it’s used. It’s impact,” panel member Ellen Peters, a researcher from Oregon, said.

Data shows that advertisements for drugs prompt people to see their doctors, but it is not clear if consumers understand potential benefits and risks of the drugs being promoted by pharmaceutical companies.

Panelist Michael Goldstein, associate director at the nonprofit group the Institute for Healthcare Communication, told the FDA that it should find ways to tackle “the woefully inadequate evidence we have about what … direct-to-consumer advertising is actually doing.”

The FDA is seeking input from advisers as it prepares to report to Congress about how ads impact consumers, especially older people and children, blacks, Hispanics and other minorities.

Legislation that took effect in March allows the FDA to ask to review ads before the public sees them and to impose fines if an ad is misleading. It also empowered the FDA to study the effect of such advertising on the public.

Last year, 68,000 promotions including commercials and print ads, magnets and pens, were submitted to the FDA, according to Kristin Davis, deputy director for the FDA’s Division of Drug Marketing, Advertising and Communications.

“In an ideal world we’d look at everything,” she said, noting that staff levels make that impossible. Instead, the agency tries to target promotions, including ads, that are likely to have the biggest impact.

Drug companies spent nearly $29.9 billion in 2005 on advertising, free samples, and sales staff to promote brand name products, according to a study funded by the National Institutes of Health published last year.

More than $4 billion of that was spent on consumer ads compared to $429 million for ads directed at doctors.

U.S. lawmakers are investigating whether drug companies use marketing tricks to mislead consumers, especially through television commercials. Researchers have said drug companies use gimmicks such as small type, fast speech and flashy graphics to emphasize benefits and downplay risks.

Rep. Bart Stupak, the Michigan Democrat overseeing the House Energy and Commerce subcommittee investigation, wants drug companies to make commercials that are more clear or face tougher regulations and possible restrictions.