Tales from the Exhibit Hall: Speaking of the pharmaceutical industry, the exhibits at the Assembly have to be seen to be believed. They are living testaments to the excesses of advertising. Cameras are forbidden in the exhibit hall, however, so words will have to do.

There is a huge O in one exhibit for a sleeping pill with a real live beautiful princess pretending to sleep in its curve.
Kristi Yamaguchi was there to tell us why she and her family are immunized against influenza. (Shouldn't be basing the decision to immunize on evidence based medicine rather than celebrity endorsement?) The makers of new statin Crestor have a large display touting their GALAXY project, which they describe as a global research initiative to determine the importance of statins in improving cardiovascular disease and death. They have enlisted many top cardiologists, including those who are seen and heard in the media most often, such as Dr. Paul Ridker and Dr. Steven Nissen (who is not half as critical of statins as he is of NSAIDs) to participate. I think it's called Galaxy because it has all those cardiology stars on board.

The Lunesta people have a huge set up that mimics sitting under a beautiful night sky. Doctors can sit there in comfortable chairs and watch a television advertisement for the drug.

There are people dressed up as sandwiches, people dressed as arteries, and muscles, and even a pancreas. There are, of course, lots of free pens (not that there's anything wrong with that!) and lots of questionable information. I'm sure the exhibitors pay a pretty penny to have their exhibits at the Assembly. Those are the dollars that make the niceties of the conference possible.