Misleading ads for allergy drugs

ALISON BASS'S June 2 op-ed "A dose of honesty in prescription drug ads" reminds me of my favorite complaint with pharmaceutical promotions. As an allergy sufferer and someone with a PhD in biology, I have long complained about the use of flowers in ads for allergy medications.

In fact, flowers, because they are primarily pollinated by insects and birds, produce large sticky pollen grains that rarely get airborne. Very few people ever get these pollens into their respiratory system or experience any symptoms because of exposure to flowers (reaction to flower fragrance might be a different matter, but would not be treated by antihistamines anyway). Almost all pollen allergy is attributable to wind-pollinated plants that do not have flowers, such as trees, grasses, and ragweed.

Is this just an example of creative license? I would argue not. I have met people who avoid flowers because they have pollen allergy. Their misunderstanding might limit their ability to do the things that would minimize allergy or asthma symptoms.

More important, these advertisements, by being loose with the truth, also push the boundary back on what constitutes honesty in our society.
DOUG BRUGGE, Cambridge
The writer is an associate professor at Tufts University School of Medicine.